Pro Landscaper March 2021 by Eljays44

MARCH 2O21

The

Green issue

LET’S HEAR IT FROM

BEHIND THE SCENES

FOR PEAT’S SAKE

CHALLENGE THE INDUSTRY

Darren Cunningham, Tivoli

BBC’s Your Garden Made Perfect

Why should we reduce our use of peat?

How are suppliers going green?

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WELCOME

W E LCO M E L

determination to be more sustainable subsided. Rather than slapping the wrists of those who were forced to put it on the backburner, we’re celebrating those who were still able to make a difference this year and we’re providing inspiration for those who will hopefully be in a better position to put the environment back on the agenda again. Our new contributor, Christopher Martin, raises a fair point, though. The word ‘sustainable’ might not be the right term for what we’re trying to achieve. We use it a lot (feel free to count how many times in this issue alone), but we don’t want to sustain a situation. We want to change it, to better it, and by the time we publish our third Green Issue in a year’s time, we want to be able to say how we’ve gone out of our way to do this, as a brand and as part of a wider industry. We hope that you’ll join us.

NINA

WE DON’T WANT TO SUSTAIN A SITUATION. WE WANT TO CHANGE IT, TO BETTER IT

©RaeburnFarquharBowen

ast year, our inaugural Green Issue was published before the first national lockdown was announced. Back then, at the start of 2020, the conversation around the environment seemed unstoppable. Climate change protests were commonplace and reducing our carbon footprint was a hot topic at most industry events. One year later and we’re publishing our second Green Issue in the third national lockdown in the last 12 months. Whilst the world has changed perhaps permanently thanks to a global pandemic, what has changed when it comes to our environmental impact? How much progress have we made? And could we be forgiven if the answer is ‘none’? Fortunately, the answer is more like ‘some’. We don’t have to tell you the disruption caused by COVID-19. For many, attention was diverted away from the environment and towards ensuring there were still businesses around which could then lower their carbon footprint. But that doesn’t mean the

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CONTENTS

INFORM

13 18 22 24 27 28 31 34 36 39 44 4

News Our monthly roundup of industry news Let’s Hear it From Darren Cunningham, Tivoli Inside: PWP Its beginnings to its successes Accelerating Pace of Change Marcus Watson Doing Less to do More Katie Flaxman Planning for the Future? Andrew Wilson Value Working for Values Christopher Martin The Brighton Downs Kim Wilkie The Sustainable Aesthetic Ben West

49 56 57

87 UK Landscape Barometer The stats for December Off to a Flying Start Neil Edwards Nature at its Most Natural Eva Woode

INSPIRE

NURTURE

61 64

87 90

68 72 76 79 83

Sponge Park BDP Reclaiming Nature Jilayne Rickards Contemporary Garden Design A Vista to Remember Lundscape Outdoor Design Landscape Architect’s Journal RaeburnFarquharBowen Your Garden Made Perfect The new, unique BBC show Grilling in Style Anji Connell Firepits Can firepits be green?

A Show of Sustainability Helena Pettit Putting a Plan in Place Tim Howell Listen and Learn Rachel Bailey and Becca Duncan

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Contents-6.indd 4

93 94 96 98 99 101 107 109

Feature Garden The Alnwick Garden Is Horticulture on the Government’s Agenda? Nick Coslett Capturing Carbon Keith Sacre Blaming Brexit Steve McCurdy Tree Planting to Save the World Lewis Normand Smaller the Better? Noel Kingsbury Benefits of Biophilia Richard Sabin For Peat’s Sake How is the use of peat changing? Nursery Focus Creepers Nursery Bark and Mulch Latest products

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CONTENTS

MARCH 2021 E D U C AT E 113 114 115 116 119 120 122 124 126 129 134 135

Sack your Clients and Make More Money! Nick Ruddle Ready to Settle? Oracle Solicitors Learning Means Earning More Profit for your Business Alison Warner

140

Putting a Plan in Place Helen Taylor Sustainable Investments Angus Lindsay Plant With Performance Excavators, J Mac Materials Focus Recycled plastic Stepping Up with tiger up! TigerTurf Artificial Grass Its impact on the environment Challenge the Industry Companies going ‘green’ Having an Edge Harvey Keates, CORE EDGE Keeping up with Kebur Dive into life at Kebur

122

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Contents-6.indd 5

142

PEOPLE 139 140 142 146

30 Under 30 Update Dominic Knower Life/Style James Scott What’s Your Role? Lee McPherson Little Interviews Questions with the individuals who make up our industry

To receive a copy of Pro Landscaper, please contact Joe Wilkinson. Email joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com or call 01903 777570.

Pro Landscaper / March 2021

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CONTRIBUTORS

CO N T R I B U TO R S Christopher Martin Urban designer and planner Christopher Martin kicks off a new series on designing cities, starting with how the pandemic has highlighted the impact our urban environment has on our wellbeing. He also introduces a ‘swear jar’ for the word ‘sustainability’ (we might owe a few pennies after this issue).

P28

W W W.URBANMOVEMENT.CO.UK

@CHRISCITIES

Kim Wilkie As Brighton and Hove City Council looks at how it can manage its downlands for the next 100 years, world-renowned landscape architect Kim Wilkie considers how this could be an opportunity for to set a precedent across the whole of the South Downs National Park, putting grazed chalk grassland at the heart of plans.

P31

BEN WEST P34

W W W.KIMWILKIE.COM/UK

RACHEL BAILEY & BECCA DUNCAN P44

TIM HOWELL P39

Helena Pettit Prior to the pandemic, the RHS was working on improving the sustainability of its shows. And it might have been postponed, but the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – and other RHS events – will all still hopefully be going ahead this year, and so director of shows Helena Pettit shares what we can expect at the 2021 shows and beyond.

P36

W W W.RHS.ORG.UK

NEIL EDWARDS P56

@THE_RHS

Eva Woode

KEITH SACRE P93

Eva Woode joins our brand-new IQ section, which explores some of the different markets which impact the landscaping sector. This month, Eva – whose company Studio Woode Ltd specialises in design, architecture and construction – explores how lockdown has changed interior trends with people spending more time at home.

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CONTACT

Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA Tel: 01903 777 570 EDITORIAL Editorial director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 579 Head of content – Nina Mason nina.mason@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 393 Deputy head of content – Rachael Forsyth rachael.forsyth@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 578 Equipment editor – Rachel Gordon proarbeditor@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Subeditor – Katrina Roy katrina.roy@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 391 Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 391

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HELEN TAYLOR P116

W W W.STUDIOWOODE.COM Design – Kara Thomas, Kirsty Turek ADVERTISING Business development manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 585 Head of sales – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 587 Horticulture Careers – Alex Olley alex.olley@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Managing director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 589 MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Tel: 01903 777 570 Subscription enquiries – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 577

Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd – Connecting Horticulture. Pro Landscaper’s content is available for licensing overseas. Contact jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Pro Landscaper is published 12 times per year by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2021 subscription price is £100. Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA, UK. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts. Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine. We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

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MANAGEMENT Managing director Jim Wilkinson Director Lisa Wilkinson Business development manager Jamie Wilkinson

Pro Landscaper / March 2021

18/02/2021 17:28

INFORM

NEWS MITIE LANDSCAPES LAUNCHES UK’S FIRST ZERO EMISSION GRITTING SERVICE

itie has launched the UK’s first zero emission gritting service for commercial use, using an electric gritter and sustainable white marine salt. The service uses the first zero emission gritter of its kind – a 100% electric vehicle (EV) with a battery-powered gritter attached. Both the EV itself and the vehicle-mounted gritter are charged each day at the Mitie Landscapes office in Nottingham, which is powered by REGObacked renewable energy, meaning the service is truly zero emission. The new service is being trialled in Nottingham, with the gritter following a specially designed route in order to maximise the number of sites it can de-ice on one charge. While the gritter currently lasts around five hours between charging, as the trial continues Mitie will review how and where it is used to make the process more efficient, before rolling out to more cities ahead of winter 2021. Mitie Landscapes designed the zero emission electric gritting service to support customers looking to reduce their environmental impact,

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Pro Landscaper / March 2021

particularly those in high-pollution areas, such as cities. It also builds on Mitie’s own Plan Zero commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2025, while also supporting its customers in reaching their own sustainability targets. This includes Mitie’s leading electric vehicle commitments. Mitie has more than 900 pure electric vehicles already in its fleet, with around 25 more being delivered each week, depending on lockdown restrictions. Tim Howell, managing director, landscapes, for Mitie, says: “When people think about cutting carbon emissions, gritting may not seem an obvious place to start. However, to be truly sustainable, businesses need to consider every aspect of their operations. We’re proud to be launching the UK’s first zero emission gritting service to help our customers keep their sites safe, while minimising their impact on the planet.” Tim Howell talks more about Mitie Landscapes’ Plan Zero commitment on page 39. www.mitie.com

DAN COOK STEPS DOWN AS CEO OF THE LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE

he Landscape Institute has announced that its CEO Dan Cook will be leaving the association in April after five years in the role. A statement released by the Landscape Institute says that Dan “has been an excellent leader during a time of positive transformation at the LI and we’ll be sorry to see him go”. Dan Cook says: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my last few years with the LI and the changes we’ve made as an organisation. I’ve been particularly pleased that we’ve made the LI more current, modern and relevant. We’ve sought to have strong employer and industry engagement, and have continued evidencebased policy making and consultative standard setting over the past five years. “There remain ongoing challenges and with the continued impact of the global pandemic there’s a need for continued focus on staff wellbeing, the uncertain economic outlook and responding to new methods for delivery of areas such as online exams and online working. This will need sustained commitment from the LI’s leadership team, and with a great team in place who really support one another, I’m confident the LI will go from strength to strength in the future.” The board of trustees is now looking to appoint a new CEO and will be recruiting an interim CEO in the meantime. Before Dan leaves the association, it will be hosting a virtual Greener Recovery Festival o 22-26 March. This will welcome a diverse and international audience on an accessible online platform. Thought leaders will gather to debate ‘greener recovery’ with topics ranging from climate to biodiversity action. www.landscapeinstitute.org

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INFORM

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 2021 POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER

MEMBERS DAY AT RHS CHELSEA 2018

The 2021 show, which would have taken place between 18 May and 23 May, has been moved to run from 21 September to 26 September. The RHS will still hold the world-famous event at

©RHS/Luke MacGregor

or the first time in its 108-year history, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been postponed to the autumn instead of spring, due to the worldwide pandemic.

The Royal Hospital, Chelsea. In addition to the autumn event, the RHS will once again hold its RHS Virtual Chelsea Flower Show online, during the May show week. Sue Biggs, RHS director general, says: “Never have so many people gardened in recent times, nor needed the benefits of gardening more, so we will do our utmost to deliver a beautiful, uplifting and different RHS Chelsea safely in September 2021.” As was planned for the event in May, RHS Chelsea Flower Show in September will be spread over six days instead of five, with the same reduced number of visitors, another first in its history. There are many further coronavirus safety precautions being put in place for exhibitors, everyone involved in the show, visitors and RHS staff and volunteers. Find out from Helena Pettit, director of shows, about how the RHS is improving the sustainability of its events on page 36. www.rhs.org.uk

PRO LANDSCAPER LAUNCHES INTO CONSUMER MARKET WITH DREAM GARDEN

NEWS IN BRIEF GLOBAL STONE ACQUIRES DIGBY STONE Global Stone has announced that it has acquired Digby Stone, which was established in 2008 by Darren and Claire Digby and has rapidly become one of the leading suppliers of natural stone and porcelain paving in the UK. Management of Digby Stone will remain unchanged with Darren Digby leading the company as managing director. www.globalstonepaving.co.uk

TIVOLI WHITE PAPER EXPLORES MANAGING OUTDOOR SPACES DURING COVID-19 AND BEYOND Tivoli Group Ltd has launched a new white paper, ‘Managing outdoor spaces: Lessons from Coronavirus’. It explores what is best practice for outdoor space management with changing COVID restrictions. A free copy of the white paper can be downloaded from Tivoli’s website. www.tivoliservices.com

ro Landscaper is launching into the consumer sector with a new brand Dream Garden. For the last 10 years, Pro Landscaper has been immersed in the ‘green’ sector, centring on garden design and landscaping in the commercial and domestic realms. One of the major issues concerning the profession is the lack of ‘value’ in private outdoor space, and gardening TV programmes popping up every season professing that homeowners can have a ‘wow factor’ garden for a couple of thousand pounds, has done nothing to help the industry’s professionalism. Pro Landscaper believes it can promote the value of investing decent money in outdoor space by creating a brand specifically aimed at the consumer. We will show them beautifully created gardens of all shapes and sizes, with excellent workmanship, creative planting, innovative products and in a range of budgets, all professionally designed and built. We hope

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the information will educate consumers about the costs and time/effort involved, together with employing a garden designer and landscape team, and investing decent money into the outdoor private space (which in modern times is becoming more and more sought after) you can add monetary value to your property whilst also creating an outdoor room which can be enjoyed year round. The brand has already launched on Instagram (@dreamofthisgarden) and Facebook (Dream Garden) and this will be developed over the coming months. We are in the early stages of building a website and will keep you posted on its development. In the meantime, please visit and like/follow the pages to stay updated. www.prolandscapermagazine.com

PRO LANDSCAPER’S COLOURING COMPETITION CONTINUES Thanks to everyone who has entered the colouring competition so far. We’re really looking forward to seeing this month’s entries. The picture to colour appears on the back of the carrier page, which arrives on top of your magazine. Children aged 10 and under can enter, with chances to win a prize each month. www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Pro Landscaper / March 2021

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INFORM

Online Exclusives SILENT STRUGGLES OF THE SELF-EMPLOYED Claire Vokins shares her experience of being self-employed throughout the pandemic and the struggles this has brought with it – and why it’s so important that we’re honest when someone asks how we are. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ silent-struggles-of-the-self-employed

GROUND CONTROL SELECTED TO JOIN LEADING GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP

round Control has won global recognition for accelerating the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) as part of the company’s commitment to lower its carbon footprint. In being granted membership to The EV100 Group, Ground Control has joined other companies such as Openreach, Centrica, GROUND CONTROL MANAGING DIRECTOR JASON KNIGHTS

HOW IS THE HOUSING MARKET? Outdoor spaces are seemingly still a high priority for buyers in the housing market. January has seen a wave of activity that rivals that of 2020’s new-year surge, and perhaps could surpass it. This is a good start to the year for the housing market and it will be interesting to see if this trend continues over the coming months. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ how-is-the-housing-market

Costain, EDF Energy, E.ON, GSK and DHL which are helping the UK to reach its net-zero goal by both transitioning to 100% electric vehicles and putting in place the infrastructure to achieve this change. The EV100 Group is working to make electric transport the new

normal by 2030 and brings together forwardthinking companies dedicated to accelerating the transition to EVs. Ground Control provides specialist grounds maintenance and award-winning commercial landscape construction services across the UK. Through its award-winning landscape division, it also offers EV charging solutions, including a lease hire option for the supply and installation of charging units. As an EV100 member, Ground Control will transition its fleet of more than 350 vehicles to EV by 2030, as well as install charging for staff and customers at their corporate locations. Following an initial investment in 32 Tesla Model 3’s in autumn 2019, Ground Control has since transitioned 100 of its company cars to electric. This investment is part of Ground Control’s company-wide environmental strategy and one that will eventually see all of Ground Control’s vehicles transition to electric. Jason Knights recently became managing director of Ground Control. Read more from his predecessor Marcus Watson on page 22. www.ground-control.co.uk

THE GARDEN COMPANY CELEBRATES 30 TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A NEW LOOK TOP 6 HOUSEPLANTS OF 2021 Houseplants are hotter than ever right now and are the perfect friend for the home office or as part of an interior design scheme. Bringing some green into your home is proven to offer a great deal benefits for our mental health and wellbeing. Ian Drummond shares his top houseplants for 2021. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ top-6-houseplants-of-2021

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Pro Landscaper / March 2021

he Garden Company, a registered BALI contractor and SGD-registered design practice, has given itself a fresh new look to celebrate a its 30th anniversary. Managing director of The Garden Company James Scott commented: “The world of garden design and build has changed a lot since we set up in 1991 with two people, one vehicle and a handful of clients. Today, we have a highly skilled workforce of 20 people with industry-leading experience and craftmanship to offer and a track record of winning many national awards over the years. We have obviously adapted our ways of working through the decades, particularly in terms of technology, but what hasn’t changed is our focus on listening carefully to our clients, giving top priority to their requirements, and aiming overall to leave them feeling ‘wowed’.

“We decided to mark this important business milestone by introducing a new look for the company. This includes a new brand identity, which is a modern take on our original rose logo, along with a new website with lots of fresh images to showcase our work. Our aim is to celebrate The Garden Company’s rich heritage – of which we are very proud – while also illustrating that we are a contemporary, forward looking business that continues to evolve.” James Scott features in our Life/Style this month on page 140. www.thegardenco.co.uk

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INFORM

Let ’s Hear it From

FOLLOWING TIVOLI’S FIRST ACQUISITION AT THE START OF THE YEAR, WE SPOKE TO CEO DARREN CUNNINGHAM ABOUT THE COMPANY’S BOLD AMBITIONS AND ITS STANCE ON SUSTAINABILITY AFTER INTRODUCING ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO ITS FLEET LAST YEAR

DARREN T CUNNINGHAM TIVOLI GROUP

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ivoli has started the new year with a bang. When we spoke to CEO Darren Cunningham at the end of January, the company was finalising its first acquisition. Darren had spent the night before putting together the welcome packs for more than 250 employees joining from Sodexo Horticultural Services, which Tivoli announced it had purchased earlier that month. A third national lockdown was not going to stop Tivoli from making a good impression on these new recruits, either. Darren had personally hand-signed all of the documents within the welcome packs and – within lockdown restrictions, which allow travel for work purposes – he was lining up a week of driving to welcome the new starters in various locations across the UK. “We’re going to make a real effort to not seem to be just in suits, starting on day one,” says Darren, the ‘we’ referring to himself and the other members of the senior management team. “Tivoli is hugely down to earth and is very personable, both with the clients and the team.” Darren has been with Tivoli for just over a year, but his passion for the company comes across as though he has been with it since the start. Formerly known as ISS Facility Services Landscaping, it was acquired by private equity firm Sullivan Street Partners in May 2018, before Darren was appointed as CEO in November 2019. Despite his own concerns over his lack of direct experience within the GM sector, Darren accepted the offer. “I’m not a grounds maintenance specialist, so it’s been really enlightening for me just how technical it is;

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INFORM

it’s not a simple business, even though it can seem that way from the outside looking in.” He also has nothing but kind words for Sullivan Street. “A lot of private equity businesses have distant investors. With Sullivan Street, it’s a much more personalised approach from our private equity investors who want a sustainable business with high levels of integrity. Sullivan Street have been brilliant and I couldn’t ask for more engaging and supportive shareholders. My team and I will help them to create a great business in a sustainable and ethical way.” Tivoli’s core business remains the same as when it was owned by the facilities management behemoth ISS UK Limited – offering grounds maintenance services for the public sector, defence and corporate clients across the UK. Its acquisition of Sodexo enables it to build its presence in the private sector. “It’s had its financial challenges in the past,” says Darren. “Now, it’s on track to make an acceptable return which will enable the modernisation programme to continue; and that’s been by focusing on the things that really matter – investing in our people, kit and service. We did a client satisfaction score in May/June last year and, whilst there’s still a long way to go, there was a massive swing in performance and perception from the clients. We did a team survey last year too and, again, there was a massive swing in terms of staff engagement, leadership, investment and support. It’s good to know we’re making progress.” Darren sees Tivoli as a “young adult”, though. “It has huge ambitions for the future. There are things it doesn’t quite know yet, but it’s got guiding parents in the form of me, the senior management team and shareholders who are really engaged with making a success of Tivoli.

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“Youngsters sometimes get it wrong, but they have vision, want to experiment and they’re hugely ambitious and fun with lots of energy, which illustrates the passion we have for what we do.” And when it does grow up, Darren is not striving for Tivoli to be the leader in its field – rather, he’s vying for silver position. “I kind of want to be number two in terms of scale. Sometimes when you get to number one,

I’M NOT A GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST, SO IT’S BEEN REALLY ENLIGHTENING FOR ME JUST HOW TECHNICAL IT IS; IT’S NOT A SIMPLE BUSINESS, EVEN THOUGH IT CAN SEEM THAT WAY FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN you can get arrogant and complacent, and you’re always looking over your shoulder. But when you’re number two, you’re always trying that bit harder. Tivoli doesn’t need to be the biggest to be the best – the best for employees, clients, sustainability and best on values.” The company has certainly had to try hard over the last year. Since the first lockdown was imposed, changing restrictions have altered the way Tivoli works to ensure its staff are safe

throughout the pandemic. Darren was only a few months into his new role when Boris Johnson made the announcement on 23 March 2020. “When they made the lockdown announcement, I stood back and thought, ‘how are we going to get through this?’ It was new territory, there wasn’t a rule book. Leadership-wise, I had to give the strongest view about how we’re going to get over the hill and make a go of it.” He was thrilled, though, with how the staff – or “troops”, as he calls them – reacted. No matter their role or area of expertise, employees were making suggestions on how to tackle the situation. It was “humbling”, says Darren. It spurred on Tivoli to be proactive and open up the dialogue with clients. “Rather than them having to call us, we went to them with solutions – on how to maintain social distancing, how to cuts costs if funding had been cut, or on how to reschedule some of the work. Sometimes, we didn’t have the right answer, but at least it got the dialogue going.” Clients seems to have responded well to this approach, too, continuing to use Tivoli over the last few months. Now, despite a surge in COVID cases sparking yet another national lockdown, Darren says Tivoli is in a strong position, and one of the biggest lessons the company has learned is in staff wellbeing. “When you’re going through a difficult period, you have to invest as much as possible in your team’s welfare; we’ve put a lot of money into support, health lines, training of managers, and mental health first aiders. We’re surrounded by a lot of proud people who don’t talk about things like this, so we have put some effort into it.” On the topic of it being a male-dominated industry, Darren adds that this is something

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INFORM

Tivoli is looking to change. “I have a track record with engineering for bringing more diverse groups to what is a typically ‘male-dominated’ business, and we intend to do the same with Tivoli. We want to push on with innovation and new ideas, and diversity will help this.” Along with looking after staff wellbeing, Darren says it is also important during tough periods to have a roadmap in place, even if it changes, and to celebrate successes. “We just had our health and safety management programme accredited by an external body. In some circles, that’s a very small thing, but it’s a big thing for us because health and safety is essential to our business and somebody has recognised the training we do. We made a big thing about it! We also award our troops every few months based on customer or colleague feedback.” Unfortunately, whilst Tivoli ploughed ahead with surviving the pandemic, Darren admits that sustainability hasn’t had the focus it deserves. “It is on the plan and we’ve done everything we set out to do in 2020 in the wider business. Now that we are in a much stronger place, we have plans to lead the sector with our sustainability programme including biodiversity schemes, a big tree planting campaign and our roll-out of electrical vehicles.” The roadmap isn’t just aiming for carbon

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neutrality, though. The company is aiming for something which Darren refers to as “oxygen positive”, though he wonders if there’s a better term for it. This year, Tivoli will be ramping up its efforts in order to do this. But perhaps Darren is being somewhat modest with Tivoli’s progress so far. In July last year, it began its trial of an electric fleet with the delivery of its first eNV200 to its Walthamstow depot. This kicked off a long-term plan to

TO LEAD FROM THE FRONT, I’M NOW DRIVING AN ELECTRIC CAR, AND I MUST ADMIT I’M A REAL CONVERT modernise all its equipment and vehicles, swapping them out for either electric or hybrid versions where possible. Darren himself has switched to an electric vehicle – and no, it’s not a Tesla. He has opted for a fully electric KIA Niro (the one from the advert with a very confused Robert de Niro). “I’m a real petrol head, so this was a tough one for me. I’ve loved cars since I was a young lad, and I’ve got a few which

are cheap and cheerful classic cars. But to lead from the front, I’m now driving an electric car, and I must admit I’m a real convert as far as electric cars are concerned, but for the first month it wasn’t easy to give up my Land Rover Defender – and I think I’m saving the planet just by not driving that!” He’s hoping that over the next 12 to 18 months, Tivoli will switch more than a third of its fleet over to electric vehicles, but says there are challenges. “We’re hampered to an extent by charging infrastructure and availability, things you’ll have heard about a million times. There are waiting lists, particularly for commercial vehicles.” Exploring ideas which are more within his control, Darren is considering how Tivoli can further boost its corporate social responsibility

1 Tivoli delivers winter maintenance solutions on a national basis 2 Tivoli have delivered GM services across the DIO estate for over 16 years 3 Some of Tivoli’s new 2021 fleet vehicles 4 Tivoli has a passion for self-delivering beautifully managed spaces 5 Tivoli’s 2020 BALI Principal Award winning scheme in Birmingham 6 Tivoli offers full range of tree care services in the UK 7 Tivoli’s fleet modernisation plan will be ramped up throughout 2021

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and incorporate sustainability within this. “We deal with schools, local authorities – where’s the opportunity to engage on wider sustainability? Whether it be putting up insect hotels or creating wildflower meadows – these don’t take huge amounts of effort, so one of the things we’ve set our wider media marketing team on is how we would make this work in a more structured way. Because the cost is pretty small; it just needs organising, and the benefits

I’M A BIG FAN OF LOYALTY; I WANT PEOPLE TO STAY WITH US FOR A LONG TIME, AND I’D LIKE TO PROMOTE FROM WITHIN THOSE WHO HAVE THE DRIVE TO GET AHEAD are massive if you are selective about where you put your effort. That’s one agenda which is going to be pushed hard.” This is part of Darren’s new ‘less is more’ approach for the company’s roadmap, which is currently being refreshed to span over the next 18 months to two years. Rather than trying to achieve a multitude of goals, Tivoli will be carrying out smaller amounts of activities but will be “going the extra mile” with them. This includes a focus on upskilling staff. “I’m a big fan of loyalty; I want people to stay with us for a long time, and I’d like to promote from within those who have the drive to get ahead. Equally, I have to give them the opportunity to do that within a growing business by giving them the

skills for a new role going forward.” Like with the employees joining from Sodexo, and this drive to promote internally, Darren’s commitment is clearly to the “troops” of Tivoli, and he speaks proudly when they respond to this. When a member of staff was retiring at the age of 80, after being with the company for 50 years, Darren went to visit him at the military site on which he worked, handed him a bottle of whisky – paid for out of Darren’s own pocket – and gave what Darren refers to as a ‘This Is Your Life moment’. “The first thing out of his mouth was, ‘Can I come back part-time Darren?’ He didn’t want to go.” This is surely a testament to Tivoli’s “personable” approach

under Darren’s leadership, and he’s keen for this to not be lost as the company grows. “I don’t want us to get bigger for the sake of it. I want us to be bigger than we are but not so big that I don’t know other people’s names. According to Darren, the Sodexo Horticultural Services Division acquisition has gone very well. “There’s been an effective joined up approach between Sodexo and Tivoli, and taking the time to have a personalised approach with the teams and clients has enabled a seamless integration. Tivoli is acquisitive, and believes where there is a real synergy between two organisations and a customer-focused culture, the benefits become compelling.” What’s clear, though, is that Tivoli is a company to watch. Darren might only be vying to be the number two grounds maintenance company, but plenty of others are fighting for that spot too, and it’s all to play for. 8 Tivoli is an expert at maintaining and creating beautiful landscapes 9 The Tivoli team with their 2m social distancing high-vis vests

C O N TA C T Tivoli Head Office, The Dovecote, Crewe Hall Farm, Old Park Road, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 5UE Tel 01563 548 050 Email enquiries@tivoliservices.com

www.tivoliservices.com

Pro Landscaper / March 2021

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PWP LANDSCAPE DESIGN WE SPEAK TO DIRECTOR OF PWP ADRIAN PARR ABOUT HOW HE AND FELLOW DIRECTOR IAN WOOLFORD FOUNDED THE COMPANY, WHY THEY DECIDED TO SET UP PWP DESIGN, HEADED BY DESIGN DIRECTOR SIMON HALL, AND HOW IT FEELS TO BE BALI’S GRAND AWARD WINNER

WP may have become BALI’s Grand Award Winner in 2020, but for a long time that felt like nothing but a pipe dream. Directors Adrian and Ian met whilst studying landscape architecture at Leeds Metropolitan, where on their year out instead of working for a practice, they chose to start their own business. And just like that, over a couple of beers, Parr and Woolford Partnership – later to become PWP Landscape as a limited company – was born. The pair took out a student loan of £1,000 each for tools and equipment, bought Ian’s

SIMON, ADRIAN & IAN

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brother’s Mini Mayfair for £50 and were on their way. “At the start there was no escape from work,” Adrian tells us. “Ian and I lived together on a shoestring budget, our lounge was our office, and we worked 12-hour days, seven days a week, working on gardens in the day and drawing designs and meeting new clients in the evening. Ultimately, we only got anywhere because of relentless hard work.” It would be five years before PWP took on its very first landscaper, but this wasn’t all plain sailing. “There’s a whole load of other attributes to running a successful business other than the ones you typically hear about,” Adrian explains. “We learnt a lot employing our first staff member – sure we made mistakes, but we learnt from them.” One of the biggest challenges was loosening the ropes, and trusting their employee to keep up the incredibly high standard of quality that they are so passionate about. “We leant that everyone has a different skill set, so it’s about putting employees in a position where they’re going to perform best.” The lounge was never going to work as an office forever. Since those days, Ian and Adrian have been in a few office spaces. The riskiest move took place in 2008, in the midst of a recession. “It was either make or break,”

explains Adrian. “We decided to expand, moved to a bigger premise, took on an extra member of staff, and just went hell for leather advertising PWP. It was hand to mouth during the recession. Once we finished one job, another would come

ULTIMATELY, WE ONLY GOT ANYWHERE BECAUSE OF RELENTLESS HARD WORK in, but we didn’t have much booked in. It was nerve-racking at times.” The risk paid off though, and in 2014, PWP bought its first premise with its own design space and lockup area, central to its main catchment area. Today, the company gains 90% of its enquires from word of mouth. From its first employee, PWP now employs 18 staff members, including Simon who heads the company’s relatively new division PWP Design. It was six years ago, with work snowballing, that Ian and Adrian decided they were at the maximum capacity of their capabilities. They knew they needed to take someone else on. It just so happened at this time that an old friend from university, Simon Hall, was contemplating his

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18/02/2021 16:21

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WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN AWARE OF THE GRAND AWARD IN THE DISTANCE, BUT WE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS AN UNREALISTIC GOAL. IT’S NOT EVEN REALLY SUNK IN YET, IT’S AN ENORMOUS ACHIEVEMENT future. With a whole host of experience designing huge international schemes, Simon joined the team as design director, and PWP Design was born. PWP now has five full-time designers, with Simon heading up the commercial design work. Though they have a successful workforce behind them now, Adrian and Ian are still hands-on. “It’s really important in terms of communication that we always touch base with the clients,” explains Adrian. “We try and call into jobs every day to check on productivity and quality and to make sure the client has the opportunity to ask questions and give input.” The afternoon sees Ian and Adrian in the office, working on designs, writing quotes, meeting clients and generally managing the business. If a project needs that extra push though, they are both happy to get their hands dirty to ensure its finished whilst never compromising its quality. It’s this drive which has seen the company continually produce detail-oriented, high-quality work. This includes its debut flower show, Harrogate. In 2012, PWP took home Gold with its striking and modern take on the gardens usually seen at the show. A seating area of cushions and sofas sat on a timber deck which rose out of the ground, all protected by a modern arching shelter. “Previously, Harrogate

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had very traditional garden set ups, which were heavily horticulturally-based,” explains Adrian. “We called our project Contemporary Heart, and it even got coverage on the local news – it was a huge achievement in the earlier days and the first time we really took any big marketing step in developing PWP as a brand.” The pros and cons of design and build companies have been debated thoroughly.

It’s no surprise that for Adrian, design and build is the way to go. “Consistency is the biggest benefit,” explains Adrian. “Ian and I will be there

1 2 3 4 5

PWP’s Grand Award Winning Garden A 1.4m ‘David Harber, Filium’ sculpture focal point Avenues of pleached hornbeam frame the garden Bold symmetry of the design Grand stairs and upper terrace

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from the initial enquiry, right the way through to the last plant going in and the last roll of turf going down.” Adrian also believes that design and build will be more cost effective for the client, with less money lost in misinterpretation or extra management fees. At PWP, there’s no need for the client to schedule in meetings with the designer to ensure the quality of work or the design vision is coming to fruition. Adrian and Ian deal with it all under one roof, making sure the delivery is as good as the original design. It’s hard to question whether design and build works for PWP, when it has taken home three BALI Principal Awards, five BALI National Awards and just became BALI’s Grand Award Winner. Considering the company only joined BALI in 2015, this is a phenomenal accomplishment. “When we got the call to say we’d won, I was overcome,” says Adrian. “We’ve always been aware of the Grand Award in the distance, but we thought it was an unrealistic goal. It’s an enormous achievement.” The project which saw PWP take home the prize was a private residence in Yorkshire. The enquiry came in through word of mouth, while PWP was working on the client’s daughter’s garden. The client was in the process of building a huge 15,000m2 property with an inbuilt lift for their car. While that sounds luxurious, it caused quite the logistical headache. With no room to even carry a roll of turf into the garden, every single piece of the garden had to be craned in; tonne by tonne, plant by plant, roll by roll, tree by tree. All in, there were thousands of tonnes of material that had to be craned into the space. Organisation became key so as not to hold up the building work, but the end result was well worth it, and the project is now another strong string to its bow. Perhaps Adrian and Ian’s biggest sense of achievements comes from their staff. “We’ve got through a recession and now a pandemic, and that’s been down to the team,” Adrian explains. “Managing the team and having them

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CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL. IF YOU HAVEN’T STARTED MAKING CHANGES YET, NOW IS THE TIME be as good as they are, that’s the real achievement, the one we’re most proud of.” Though the client and their vision will always come first, the environment cannot be forgotten. “Delivering beautiful gardens and making a client’s dreams come to life is an inbuilt passion for Ian and I,” explains Adrian. “But the environment is as important. We do what we can, but it’s something that all companies can develop and improve. Climate change is real. If you haven’t started making changes yet, now is the time.” With every job, the team makes sure it reuses and recycles everything possible – which also helps the client from a budget point of view. In addition, PWP makes sure to obtain supplies from sustainable suppliers. “We do our homework on where we buy our materials from

and tend to work with the bigger landscaping providers who to respect their environmental impact,” says Adrian. For PWP, this has become easier over the years, with more suppliers waking up to the climate emergency. Though the future in regards to climate change is uncertain, PWP will continue to forge on doing its part. “There’s no set finish post,” explains Adrian. “We’ve always just driven forward; I’ve never sat down and made a 10-year plan. We’re not driving forward blindly though. We will continue to focus on doing the best we can for our clients, keeping our reputation for attention to detail and quality at the forefront.” 6 Extensive preparation to achieve an immaculate lawn 7 Bespoke pergola design 8 Feature wall within the Secret Garden

C O N TA C T PWP Landscape Design Unit 1, Whiteley Court, Pool Road, Pool in Wharfedale, LS21 1FR Tel 0113 2563 555 Email contact@pwplandscape.co.uk

www.pwplandscape.co.uk

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18/02/2021 16:19

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M A R C U S WATS O N ACCELERATING THE PACE OF CHANGE MARCUS WATSON OF GROUND CONTROL EXPLAINS HOW WE MUST ACCELERATE THE PACE OF CHANGE TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE WORLD

ince I handed over the role of Ground Control’s managing director to Jason Knights, I have been reflecting on the important roles we and governments have to play in the green recovery. To protect and enrich our way of life in harmony with nature, we must first and foremost solve the most important problem facing us today: climate change. A controversial study suggests that we may have already passed the point of no return.1 It suggests a thawing permafrost will release mass amounts of sequestered carbon and melting icecaps will mean the sun’s rays are absorbed rather than reflected. These effects will cause further increases in temperatures, even if we stop greenhouse gas emission altogether now. This doomsday scenario is dangerous as it may encourage some to think “why bother?”. Moreover, it is at odds with more widely accepted studies, e.g. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), whose models suggest that if greenhouse gas emission were to stop immediately, there would be very little further increases in temperatures.1 That said, most studies agree time is not on our side and reducing global carbon emissions to zero by 2050 is just the start of our actions to deal with climate change. And whilst technology gives us a reason to be optimistic (e.g. a record 62.1% of the UK’s electricity generation in Q1 of 2020 was carbon free2 and the trend is set to continue), scientific evidence suggests that we are in an exponential climate crisis.3 COVID-19 has taught us two things in the past year. Firstly, when faced with an exponential crisis, we cannot afford to delay; every day makes a disproportional difference. For example, locking down only one week

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earlier in March 2020 would have prevented 20,000 UK deaths, roughly 50% of the total deaths suffered in the first wave of infections.4 This means that we are not just fighting against climate change; we are fighting against time. Secondly, when faced with a crisis, governments can make a significant positive impact. For instance, development of several vaccines within a year versus the usual 10 years is remarkable and, crucially, was enabled by various governments funding research, clinical trials and manufacturing capacity. Governments can focus our combined endeavours to defeat a common foe, or at least adapt to live alongside it.

Governments need to provide strong leadership and create a simple and clear legislative framework which encourages positive behaviours and discourages harmful actions. A set of “carrot and stick” incentives that helps individuals, organisations and businesses transition to a net-zero economy at pace. As someone who values the free market economy, this suggestion is counterintuitive but it has benefits such as accelerating the pace of change and levelling the competitive playing field as everyone has to play under the same rules. This would ensure there is no discrimination against early adopters. Equally, nobody gets left behind. To achieve this, I am advocating that our government should: • Establish a Climate & Ecological Emergency Executive (CEEE) at national level, with powers

equivalent of the Health & Safety Executive, responsible for the enforcement of the legal obligations to eliminate carbon emissions.5 • Provide meaningful incentives and support to help individuals and organisations adapt to the change and transition to net-zero. • Apply effective carbon taxes on all good and services, irrespective of their country of origin, to stimulate alternatives to carbon and create a level playing field for goods/services produced at home as well as those that are imported. • Move at increasing pace. With the UK holding the presidency for COP26 in 2021, this puts the UK in the unique position of demonstrating bold leadership on a global stage. Our government can lead the way and accelerate the pace of change whilst mitigating fear of losing out to competitors. We can rebuild better. With clear positive leadership, we will possess the clarity and courage to do so. 1

4 5

“Is the climate crisis pushing the world towards a ‘point of no return’?”, Daisy Dunne, The Independent, 12 Nov 2020. “Renewables set to become dominant force in Britain’s power mix by 2020”, Sarah George, Edie Newsroom, 26 June 2020. “Confirmation that 2019 concludes warmest decade”, Met Office, 15 Jan 2020. See data trends Mar-Jul 2020 www.worldometers.info “Climate & Ecological Emergency Executive – draft”, Anusha Shah, Feb 2021. Private discussions.

A B O U T M A R C U S W AT S O N Marcus Watson joined Ground Control in 2011 and led the company for close to a decade, handing over the reins to Jason Knights in Jan 2021. Marcus remains with Ground Control as nonexecutive director and a significant shareholder.

www.ground-control.co.uk

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18/02/2021 15:42

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18/02/2021 09/02/2021 10:51 12:14

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K AT I E F L A X M A N DOING LESS TO DO MORE

KATIE FLAXMAN EXPLORES WHY, IN A WORLD WHERE CAPTURING THE PERFECT IMAGE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA IS PUSHING DESIGNS TO BECOME BOLDER, OFTEN DOING LESS IS WHAT’S BEST – ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENVIRONMENT

hat is design? What is good design? The answers are many and varied but the core of people’s responses is generally “something”. Design means doing something rather than doing nothing. In a world of social media where months or years’ worth of work is scrutinised through the lens of a single image or caption, we feel pressure to be bolder, bigger and better than the competition. To stand out with a breathtaking concept that ‘wows’ our audience. I wonder though, is this where perhaps, we are going wrong? When did doing more become good design? And could doing less, perhaps be a more sustainable approach to our landscapes? Our starting point for projects at Studio 31 isn’t ‘what can we do?’ – it is ‘what do we already have?’ We look at a site and assess its ecology, biodiversity and nature value and think ‘what can we keep?’ and ‘what can we enhance?’ We recently submitted a paragraph 79 home for planning which incorporates no formal gardens at all. The natural ecology of the site

comes right up to the house. Animals will graze up to the windows. The land will be managed using regenerative land management practices right up to the envelope of the dwelling. Landscape changes have been minimal and where a change has been made, it’s been

WHEN DID DOING MORE BECOME GOOD DESIGN? AND COULD DOING LESS, PERHAPS BE A MORE SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO OUR LANDSCAPES?

©Rebecca Douglas

carefully considered to enhance the existing ecology and increase biodiversity. The design here is in the land management which will enhance this site irrevocably over decades. What does it look like on an Instagram photo? Almost as if we have done nothing at all. In reality, the time ELMLEY NATURE RESERVE spent designing that landscape far exceeds many other projects. It incorporates hours and hours of careful research, ecological reports, soil testing, design and management planning. We don’t put the before photos on our websites, people don’t see the habitat creation or increases in invertebrate life, bird species or wildflowers. It’s hard to show the value of this work in a single image.

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We designed a garden space on a National Nature Reserve. Again, choosing light touch, choosing plants which reflect the species on the wider reserve and keeping terraces and hard landscape spaces as small as possible. Giving over the site as far as possible to the nature which inhabits the wider reserve and allowing the water which makes that site what it is, to drain through the ground as it should. We allowed the views here to speak for themselves and kept new materials minimal and local. Can we take a single image of its simple, important and nature-led beauty? Not easily. Nature doesn’t need our egos; it needs our hearts. Client’s don’t always need topiary and expansive terraces, they need thick-legged flower beetles, marbled white butterflies, goldfinches and snakes head fritillaries. We, as professionals, don’t always need to seek to do more, we need to consider quiet, gentle conversations which encourage clients to trust us to do more by doing less. And our Instagram feeds? Well, it’s those that need to be braver, bolder and better in order to tell a different story.

A B O U T K AT I E F L A X M A N Katie Flaxman is co-founder and director of Studio 31 Landscape Architects. Studio 31 is an award-winning, adventurous and environmentally conscious landscape architecture practice working across the residential, public realm and health sectors. They use research-led design principles to explore the link between nature and health with the aim to create landscapes which are both better for people and better for the planet.

www.designstudio31.co.uk

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ANDREW WILSON PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE?

ANDREW WILSON CONSIDERS THE STEEP CLIMB AHEAD FOR THE GARDENS AND LANDSCAPES OF THE FUTURE

t is fascinating being a teacher of garden design but always helpful to reflect on the work I do and the way in which our students develop. The course is intensive and the exchange of ideas is often fast and furious across the programme – partly due to the pace of the course but also the sense that we are sowing seeds on fertile ground. Not only are students eager to learn about design but also keen to understand the wider environment and the implications of their design solutions. As career changers they have a great sense of commitment. For many there is a palpable adjustment in attitude as we move into detail and material selection, or as we start to consider planning legislation and considerations such as SuDS, plan sourcing, species selection with consideration for climate change or the impact of pests and diseases. Obviously, the aim is to deliver informed designers at the end of the day but one of the continuing debates relates to the clients they

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will meet after graduation and the way in which their projects might be steered in the right sustainable direction.

WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING URBAN DESERTS OF MASS HARD LANDSCAPING WITH TOKEN GESTURES FOR URBAN GREENING In garden design, whilst many of our clients might proclaim publicly the need to save our planet, when it comes to their own patch of this world, and their own pocket, environmental considerations are often left out in the cold. Decisions tend to be made based on increased personal comfort, luxury, future profit or quite simply personal preference. These are all quite entrenched opinions which are difficult for established designers to influence, let alone those starting out. More experienced designers might well be able to take a hit on refusing a client commission when the brief flies in the face of the climate emergency we are experiencing. New designers need all the work they can get and the result can be a baptism of fire. For commercial clients this sort of response is often tempered by their public profile but there is still a sense that many of our public or commercial landscapes, especially in and around our urban centres, are falling short in resolving sustainable or climate change issues. We are still experiencing urban deserts of mass hard landscaping with token gestures for urban greening. We might well celebrate awards given

to those schemes that tip the balance but fundamentally a greater sense of support is required from our planning system. We all take for granted now the need for sustainable drainage solutions in our front gardens but had this not been enshrined in planning legislation would we be so able to convince our clients of this need? In some urban local authorities we are starting to see a planning requirement for permeable solutions for rear gardens too, mainly focused on paved areas. As designers, Gavin and I are happy to oblige but it certainly helps our case with clients that this is a condition that must be fulfilled. These conditions are often imposed only because of associated architectural applications for house extensions and it has been fascinating to experience the surprise in architects with whom we work when their applications are thrown out because of insufficient attention to the garden or landscape. More of this please, I say. I spend many teaching hours convincing my students of the pre-eminence of the garden or landscape rather than that of the buildings to which they relate. A planning system that supports that view would be a wonderful thing. Pictured: From concrete desert to diverse green space – Notting Hill roof garden by Gavin McWilliam and Andrew Wilson

ABOUT ANDREW WILSON Andrew Wilson is a landscape and garden design consultant, director of the London College of Garden Design, and an author, writer and lecturer.

www.lcgd.org.uk

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 27

17/02/2021 15:59

INFORM

C H R I STO P H E R M A RT I N VALUE WORKING FOR VALUES

IN A NEW SERIES, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN WILL DISCUSS THE DESIGN OF CITIES, SPECIFICALLY THEIR PUBLIC REALM, AND HOW WE NEED TO BE DESIGNING TO PREPARE AND PROTECT IN THE LONG TERM FROM THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

s we all now know, 2020 was a year like no other. This was for many reasons, but the reasons I would like to focus on are less well discussed. Importantly, 2020 was the year when the mainstream press started talking about towns and cities with more ferocity; discussing what the future should hold for the way we live, the way we move, and the way we work. Last year, more than ever, society was made acutely aware of the negative effects that certain urban conditions have on our lives – in particular, our health, happiness, and prosperity. The second key takeaway from 2020, for me, was society’s renewed connection with nature. Many already believed that the planet should be protected, but not all. 2020 made plain that in the most basic sense we need nature for our very sanity. There was conversation from people who have never listened to a bird’s song in

seriousness; about the rhapsody of London’s urban parakeets and the piping of the woodland Nuthatch. The greatest lesson learned in 2020 was that human beings depend on nature. By saving nature, you are saving yourself. Now is the time to look forward and the lessons we learned as a society are a good point from which to launch into protecting our future, specifically through designing urban environments in a regenerative way.

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The first thing to say is that I think we need to stop talking about ‘sustainability’. We need to banish it from our vernacular, delete it from our reports, and set up an urbanism swear jar whenever we see it committed to paper. We have run out of time to be sustainable – the habitat we have created is causing us and our world real

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT ‘SUSTAINING’ THE SITUATION, BUT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS BROKEN harm. We need to shape regenerative communities, habitats and cities – not just sustainable ones. When you talk about sustainability, you’re talking about ‘sustaining’ the situation, but the current situation is broken. The design of cities, the design of the public realm and especially the design of streets and mobility systems need to become a servant to quality of life for all. There is a point in all cities where growth proliferates to threaten people’s quality of life – negatively impacting air quality, safety, attractiveness, city life, access to opportunity, and the environment in which we live and grow up in. Now is the time to address this, to reprogram cities and all that makes them to be servants to people and their quality of life. We all know how to design great spaces, but great spaces don’t always get delivered, so how can we put this right as a quality collective, a coalition of designers who strive to put cities

centre stage for quality of life? The root of the issue that we need to tackle first is value. Put simply, by developing a consensus for regenerating – by aligning society and community behind a common view, ambition, and outcome – we can release the energy of the private sector to put value in the service of values. If we as communities set a clear goal, it becomes profitable to be part of the solution. This boils down to co-design and co-creation of the spaces around us. Programming spaces and developments with local people to set the ambition for spaces – to set the values that we need to yield from development for society – for the environment, for air quality, for sense of community and for health. By doing this, we make it costly to be part of the problem and swell the ground in favour of quality. This is the first (difficult, but not insurmountable) thing that we need to tackle to make meaningful change towards regeneration. Pictured: Regenerating, not Sustaining. Urban Movement Concept Design for Brighton Valley Gardens (Landscape, Public Realm, and Streets)

A BOU T C H RISTOP HER MARTIN Christopher is an influential urban designer and planner working all over the globe to help communities improve their public spaces; as well as supporting cities and governments to develop strategy, change policies, and make great places possible. He is co-founder and director of Urban Strategy at Urban Movement; a trustee of the UK charity for everyday walking – Living Streets; vice chair of the UK Urban Design Group; and is a member of the United Nations Planning and Climate Action Group.

www.urbanmovement.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 10:39

Landscape design of the future Public spaces need to embrace nature once more to become more humancentric. How can light help? Selux has been making exceptional lighting for over 70 years. Their mission is to support designers in creating subtly layered public spaces that are neutral, simple and authentic in form and function. Timeless and integrative landscapes that are shared spaces in the truest sense: where behaviour isn’t watched, dictated or manipulated, where people don’t have to follow the herd but can be themselves. In this modern age, where technology seems to know no barriers, Selux believe people are seeking a return to authentic experiences. Light in the urban landscape can set scenes. It should appear natural – unobtrusive yet essential, familiar, and appropriate to the particular place. London City Island

At the same time they apply sustainable materials such as FSC certified timber, technology and design to increase efficiency, connectivity and light quality and advances in solar capture and batteries to introduce renewable energy options. They seek variations in colour, light intensity and movement to create spaces that invite people to dance, to play, to imagine and – the most important thing of all – allow people to be exactly who they want to be. Norman Emery, MD Selux UK adds “It’s up to us: what we do, undertake or produce must add to the well being of society and nature. This is how the world will remain a beautiful place for generations. We have the technical opportunities, re-sources and knowledge for this. Let’s get started!”

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INFORM

KIM WILKIE THE BRIGHTON DOWNS

KIM WILKIE EXPLAINS WHY GRAZED CHALK GRASSLAND IS SO IMPORTANT, AND WHY THE BRIGHTON DOWNS COULD BECOME A TEMPLATE FOR THE WHOLE OF THE SOUTH DOWNS

ne hundred years ago, Brighton City Council resolved to buy 20 square miles of the chalk downland surrounding the city to protect its aquifer and water supply. It was a brilliant decision and really prescient. A city’s setting is as important as its core; not just for clean water and air but also for food, wildlife and human sanity.

also ideal for walkers, riders and bikers. With the coast to the south and the wooded weald to the north, Brighton has a unique doorstep access to the downs in the middle.

Brighton and Hove are now consulting on how to manage their downlands for the next hundred years. It is a perfect moment as water shortage, climate crisis, recalibration of agriculture and COVID-19 revelations of the value of open space all coincide. It turns out that grazed chalk grassland is excellent for all of these. The downs are a very human landscape. They have been carefully managed with cattle and sheep for thousands of years, creating a deep-rooted herbal flora of extraordinary diversity that supports a huge range of insects, birds and small mammals above ground. And below ground it pumps carbon exudates deep into the soil where the carbon is safely locked away and feeds a microbial and fungal super life. Rainwater that falls on this floral turf is sponged into the chalk where it is filtered, cleaned and stored in the aquifer. The character of the rolling, flowing landscape, largely bare of hedges and woods, is

Although the landscape is wide open on a geological scale, the key to its health and beauty lies in the subtleties of management. As with most of the English landscape, the managers are farmers. Government policy and agricultural pressures since the Second World War have meant that much of the downland has been ploughed or reseeded and fertilised, but the viability and desirability of arable farming on thin chalk is no longer assured. Brighton has some interesting choices. Left to go wild, the downs would quickly scrub over and ultimately become windswept woodland. The floral and insect diversity would be replaced

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ALTHOUGH THE LANDSCAPE IS WIDE OPEN ON A GEOLOGICAL SCALE, THE KEY TO ITS HEALTH AND BEAUTY LIES IN THE SUBTLETIES OF MANAGEMENT

by a valid but less interesting habitat. Restored to herb-rich, grazed grassland there is the opportunity to work with the new agricultural agenda, sequester carbon and recover a landscape that is thousands of years old and yet directly relevant to current issues and uses. Brighton has the ability to set the pattern for the whole of the South Downs National Park. This is landscape in its fullest sense; not just habitat or recreation or natural resources or visual beauty – but the combination of all of those in harmony with millennia of human history and growing food. Settlements are intimately bound to their hinterland. To work with the urban landscape we cannot just concentrate on the streets, parks and playgrounds. We have to understand the relationship with the farms, wetlands and woodland beyond the built boundary.

ABOUT KIM WILKIE Kim Wilkie is a landscape architect, environmental planner and farmer in the South Downs. His work is summarised in Led by the Land (Pimpernel, 2019).He has sat on a number of UK government bodies, including the Mayor of London’s Public Realm Advisory Group. Currently, Kim is working on projects for sustainable agriculture and new landscape-led designs for cities around the world.

www.kimwilkie.com

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Permeating Success: CED Stone Group’s CEDAdrive becomes ECCOgravel! CED Stone Group have worked in partnership with ECCO Products from conception, distributing and marketing the ECCOGRAVEL product under their own brands CEDAdrive and CEDApath. Together we are building upon our long-established relationship to drive awareness and expand the full range of ECCO’s innovative water permeable landscaping solutions across the UK and Ireland. The first step in this process is for CEDAdrive and CEDApath to be rebranded to ECCOGRAVEL. “It has been a great pleasure of mine, together with a dedicated Depot team, to drive the development and understanding of this innovative product throughout the UK. CEDAdrive has enjoyed great success and by utilising our six nationwide depots is now recognised throughout the country as a quality SUDS compliant solution for driveways, paths and carparks. I truly believe the time is now right to build on the success of CEDAdrive, and introduce the full range of products available to us. Our ultimate aim is to have all ECCO Products available to purchase from your local CED Landscape depot, and we are thrilled to be expanding our range of permeable landscaping solutions and continuing our long-established partnership with ECCO Products.” Gary Ewing – CED Stone Landscape Divisional Director A staged roll out of ECCO’s full range of products will take place throughout 2021 starting with ECCOGRAVEL for providing a secure and permeable solution for gravel surface and DRAINBASE a water buffering support system for synthetic turf projects.

01708 867 237 enquiries@cedstone.co.uk www.cedstone.co.uk

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INFORM

B E N W E ST

THE SUSTAINABLE AESTHETIC USING ‘THE URBAN RETREAT’ GARDEN AS AN EXAMPLE, BEN WEST EXPLAINS HOW DECISIONS CAN BE MADE TO REDUCE A PROJECT’S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, THOUGH ADMITS NO PROJECT IS PERFECT – FOR NOW

n late 2019, we collaborated with Jilayne Rickards on a small urban garden she designed for a great client in North London. Jilayne christened the scheme ‘The Urban Retreat’. Her vision was for the garden to be both beautiful and sustainable. In December last year we discovered the garden had picked up four British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) awards. The most satisfying of these for me was the award for best use of recycled and reclaimed materials. The recognition this garden received from BALI and the interest and acclaim it has garnered from the wider public offers hope for what I call ‘the sustainable aesthetic’. The more media coverage gardens of this type obtain, the more they will come to be considered desirable by the general public and the more likely their guiding ethos will become mainstream thought.

What is the ethos of the sustainable aesthetic and why is it important? The sustainable garden weathers well in the British climate, blends in with its surroundings, accommodates and encourages interaction with wildlife and does not damage the environment in its creation. It follows a number of principles; protect and nurture the holy trinity of soil, plants and insects. Do this and good things will follow. In ‘The Urban Retreat’, all soil was kept on site.

THE SUSTAINABLE GARDEN WEATHERS WELL IN THE BRITISH CLIMATE, BLENDS IN WITH ITS SURROUNDINGS, ACCOMMODATES AND ENCOURAGES INTERACTION WITH WILDLIFE Reduce waste. In this garden, all existing pots and planters were recycled along with the brick work. Paving sub-base materials were reused where appropriate or sent for off-site recycling with any green waste produced. Energetic waste can also be reduced by designing closed systems and features that have multiple benefits. For example, planting comfrey for its aesthetic appeal, ability to attract and feed insects, provision of composting material and medicinal applications.

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We can further reduce waste by working with the existing lay of the land, soil type, microclimate, ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ vernacular, moisture levels, ‘habitat’ type, etc. The existing garden had a woodland edge feel and Jilayne used this to inform her plant choices. Woodland edge gardens are cooling and relaxing in the heat of a city summer.

Useful, wildlife friendly planting was retained, and any unwanted plants were donated to other gardeners. A mature Elder was a prominent existing feature. What plant can better connect us to the environment and other lifeforms? In winter it looks a wreck and we wonder, will it manage to limp on through to spring? But what a change once the sap starts to rise. The leaves come on early, connecting us to the cycle of re-birth out of decay. The summer flowers are an insect magnet and can be made into refreshing drinks. The autumn berries feed birds and small mammals whilst boosting our immune systems through winter when processed into medicinal food and drink. Dried out Elder canes are also the best material for the hand drill – one of the first ways our

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18/02/2021 10:30

INFORM

ancestors kindled fire. Plants of this kind reconnect us with our history and birthright and, in doing so, help dispel the illusion that we are somehow ‘outside’ of nature. Specify plants and hardscape that don’t need mollycoddling. Opt for resilient plants and stone and timber types that don’t need constant sealing or cleaning. Reclaimed materials achieve this end and also tick the sustainability box – they have not been newly created and therefore no further finite resources have been consumed. In terms of timber, we used reclaimed Douglas fir decking and shelving and reclaimed oak for the seating block/retaining wall in this garden. Reclaimed slate and granite was used for the paving. Jilayne and the client went shopping in local markets for the second-hand furniture, fixtures and fittings. When reclaimed wood cannot be used, specify locally sourced FSC-certified timber from trusted suppliers. Permeable surfaces allow rainwater to percolate back into the ground and to that end gravel was used extensively in this garden. More generally, look to make surfaces more porous with the aim of increasing biodiversity. Block and brick retaining walls could be replaced with gabions which allow unwanted existing materials such as paving and walling to be used as in-fill. Sustainable gardens aim to be as ‘soft’ as possible. Planting should be diverse, successional and nectar-rich. Utilise a range of trees, shrubs, climbers, grasses and bulbs to provide food and shelter for wildlife. Don’t forget – attractiveness to humans is of equal importance if the garden is to be considered a success by the client! Go easy on garden lighting and chemical weed and pest control. However, the garden wasn’t a perfect example of sustainability. There were a number of areas where our activities were damaging;

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Ben West.indd 35

• Cement and adhesives were used. Both materials have a high environmental impact. • Fossil fuels were consumed, and pollutants produced in travelling to and from site. • Space restrictions dictated all deliveries were bagged. Specify loose deliveries where possible. • Gravel extraction degrades wildlife habitat.

THERE IS A NEED TO DEVELOP AN INDUSTRY ACCEPTED FRAMEWORK TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RELATIVE IMPACT OF VARIOUS MATERIALS AND PRACTICES How can we improve? At Landscaping Solutions, we are committed to continual professional development through seminars, courses, workshops and personal study. Integration of environmental assessments to our CDM process helps us think about how we can reduce our impact and guides our design decisions and installation techniques. This is a great tool but can only take us so far due to the fact that much of the raw information is based on intuition. There is a need to develop an industry accepted framework to help us better understand the relative impact of various materials and practices. For instance, we might assume artificial turf to be more impactful than paving but, in some instances, artificial turf allows the ground to ‘breath’ more than paving. Leave artificial turf to its own devices and it develops into ‘habitat’ much quicker than

paving, rapidly hosting an array of plant and invertebrate life. However, can it be recycled satisfactorily? And which of these is most environmentally impactful; quarried British Yorkstone or Italian porcelain? What about quarried Indian sandstone vs Italian porcelain? Yorkstone vs Portland Stone? Portland stone from open cast extraction vs undersea deposits? These are complicated questions. Good, reliable information will enable us t o compile a database of suppliers employing sustainable practices. For ‘The Urban Retreat’, we used Ashwells Timber and CED Stone. Responsive clients might be encouraged to engage with food production be it wild or cultivated and on whatever scale possible. This takes the pressure off the industrial agricultural system, promotes personal resilience, selfsufficiency, understanding of our role in the ecosystem, empathy with other life forms and mental/physical health. Studies have shown low-input vegetable and fruit allotments to be the most biodiverse land use in the country. They can be further improved by providing a body of water and adding on-site composting facilities. One last piece of advice – don’t forget to have fun!

ABOUT BEN WEST Ben West spent his formative years exploring the landscapes of Staffordshire, and studied environmental management at Keele University, prior to moving to Surrey and setting up Landscaping Solutions. The firm has since won many RHS medals and BALI Awards. Ben wishes to use his passion for natural landscapes to direct the firm’s future trajectory, and ensure clients consider nature when planning landscaping schemes.

www.landscapingsolutionsltd.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 35

18/02/2021 10:33

INFORM

HELENA PETTIT A SHOW OF SUSTAINABILITY

HELENA PETTIT SHARES HOW THE RHS IS WORKING TOWARDS MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY EVENTS

he RHS vision is to enrich everyone’s lives through plants and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. And while by its very nature the work we do has a positive impact on the environment, ensuring we do it in a sustainable way has never been so important. Following the appointment of our new president Keith Weed, who has a wealth of experience in the area, the RHS is even more committed to increasing its focus on sustainability and ensuring everything we do across all areas of the society is carried out in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Whilst providing great platforms to educate and raise awareness of important issues, we know that putting on large-scale events such as the RHS flower shows has an environmental impact and we are continually looking at how we can reduce our carbon footprint and make greener choices in areas such as travel & transport, energy usage, procurements, waste and water use. Since 2018, we have been working with A Greener Festival, a not-for-profit organisation helping event organisers to be more environmentally sustainable. Under its consultation we have updated our current policies and are working towards rolling out an overarching RHS Shows Sustainability Policy which will encompass our existing environmental regulations whilst setting out new ‘green targets’ to implement as we plan for the shows. The revised policy will be reviewed annually by a newly appointed sustainability ambassador for each show who will also act as the main contact for suggestions from our stakeholders. At the RHS we only procure goods and services from responsible suppliers who share our sustainability aims. One of our focuses over

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the next couple of years is to work with our stakeholders to further reduce the use of virgin materials in favour of environmentally-friendly and recycled alternatives. All refuse is recycled and sorted offsite daily, nothing goes to landfill. We are working to minimise our plastic waste and although the pandemic continues to present new challenges, we hope to be able to impose a ban on all single-use plastics at front of house by 2022 and back of house by 2025. Recent positive changes include switching to

WE ARE CONTINUALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND MAKE GREENER CHOICES recyclable site access passes and imposing a ban on floral foam, working with exhibitors to find sustainable alternatives. Due to the nature of the greenfield sites on which we operate, we have to use generators for our power supply. This year we are making a positive switch to biofuel generators, which will significantly reduce our carbon emissions, saving more than 200,000kg of CO2. Water is a precious resource and supplies in the UK are under pressure from the effects of climate change. At RHS Hampton Court in July, we are working with our water scientist, Janet Manning, to educate visitors on sustainable water management. From an operations side, across all shows we encourage exhibitors to use water responsibly and provide dip tanks for irrigating displays. We are looking at further ways to reduce water consumption by, for example,

switching all toilets to ones that use a vacuum system, reducing water use by up to 90%. Applications from exhibitors across all RHS shows must provide details on issues of environmental sustainability including information on where plants are sourced, what materials are being used and whether the garden will go on to have a life after the show. The environmental credentials of the exhibits are considered upon selection and any significant concerns are fed back for reconsideration or the exhibit is declined. At Chelsea, on average 70% of gardens are relocated to permanent sites after the show and where that is not possible we work with our reuse partner House of Wayward to minimise any plant waste. Alongside our exhibitors, we ask visitors to think sustainably too, strongly encouraging the use of more green modes of transport to and from our shows where possible and encouraging visitors to bring their own reusable cups and bags. Due to the changes anticipated from COVID-19, we intend to use data from this year’s shows to set new benchmarks which we will work to improve from. We look forward to communicating our revised Shows Sustainability Policy in due course.

ABOUT HELENA PETTIT Helena joined the RHS in 2018 as director of shows, responsible for leading the strategic planning, organisation, logistics and commercial success of the society’s portfolio of flower shows. Last year, Helena took over responsibility for the RHS gardens, catering and retail division in a new combined role as director of gardens and shows.

www.rhs.org.uk

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18/02/2021 14:53

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INFORM

TIM HOWELL PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE

TIM HOWELL EXPLAINS HOW MITIES’ PLAN ZERO CITY LANDSCAPING SERVICE IS ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE LESS THAN A YEAR IN

rom the Extinction Rebellion protests and Earth Overshoot Day through to the rise of Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough as cult figures, more and more attention is being paid to the climate emergency. And, with the annual demand for resources well above the Earth’s capacity, it’s essential that everybody – from individuals through to businesses and governments – now comes together and makes helping the planet a priority.

WE EVALUATED EVERY ASPECT OF OUR TRADITIONAL OPERATIONS, PUTTING IN PLACE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES WHEREVER POSSIBLE, TO DESIGN A TRULY SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING SERVICE

commitment to become net-zero carbon by 2025 and use this experience to help our clients achieve their own sustainability objectives. At Mitie Landscapes, we’ve been quick to put this into practice by launching our Plan Zero City Landscaping Service, which was specifically designed to limit our environmental impact in cities and urban areas. We evaluated every aspect of our traditional operations, putting in place environmentally friendly alternatives wherever possible, to design a truly sustainable landscaping service. The journey starts with the vehicle To put this into context, let’s imagine a landscaping team is scheduled for a day’s work in central London, travelling to several different client sites around the city. As it’s only a day’s work, this might not seem like much at first. However, with most UK landscaping businesses currently using diesel or petrol vans,

our example team would have generated around five tonnes of CO2 a year in fuel alone. This doesn’t include the additional traffic and air pollution caused by having the usual nine-to-five work schedule. Given that emissions from transport can quickly add up, changing to an electric van for our Plan Zero City Landscaping Service was the obvious place to start. Even with the coronavirus pandemic affecting the number of miles our City Landscaping team travels daily, switching our diesel van to solely electric still allowed us to save over a tonne of carbon emissions, in just five months – that’s the equivalent of two economy-class return flights from London to New York. And, by using Mitie EV charge points, which are powered by renewable energy, whenever possible, we’ve cut our carbon emissions from transport even further. All this has been implemented alongside flexible working schedules to ensure we’re not

As a facilities management business, Mitie has experience across a number of areas – including transitioning fleets to electric vehicles (EV), landscaping, energy and waste management – that are key when thinking about how companies can become more sustainable. We knew that by bringing together this expertise, we could not only cut our own carbon emissions, but our customers’ too. And so, in February 2020, we launched Plan Zero, our

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INFORM

contributing to heavy traffic at commuting times or increasing other motorists’ emissions. We believe electric vehicles are the future for making landscaping more sustainable and, as a result, we recently launched the UK’s first zero emission commercial gritting service, using an electric vehicle with a battery-powered gritter. The service, which is being trialled in Nottingham, helps keep our customers’ people and sites safe during the cold months while limiting the impact on the environment, allowing us to help the city achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2028. In addition to this, we’ve also committed to switching our entire fleet of vehicles to electric by 2025. With more than 900 EVs already on the road, Mitie has one of the largest electric fleets in the UK.

WITH MORE THAN 900 EVS ALREADY ON THE ROAD, MITIE HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST ELECTRIC FLEETS IN THE UK Cleaning up landscaping practices Reducing the carbon emissions from our transport was only the start for the Plan Zero City Landscaping Service. We wanted to create a sustainable option for our customers that had considered every aspect of the service. So, we reviewed our landscaping practices and replaced all chemicals, pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, with environmentally friendly alternatives, including hand weeding. As part of this assessment, we also looked at the equipment – grass trimmers, lawn mowers and leaf blowers – and saw that by switching our diesel-powered tools for battery-powered ones, we could cut our carbon and noise pollution even further. However, with our City

40 Pro Landscaper / March 2021

Tim Howell.indd 40

Landscaping team travelling between clients’ sites, our colleagues could have issues finding places to charge the tools throughout the day. Working closely with Mitie’s Fleet team, we solved this issue by fitting solar panels on the roof of our electric vehicle to generate renewable energy without affecting the van’s own battery life. This allows our team to keep the tools topped-up with charge throughout the day, without worrying about the battery running low. Taking the bins out Many people mistakenly believe that to tackle the climate emergency, focusing on recycling is enough. However, if we truly want to win the fight against climate change, we need to go further and reduce the amount of resources we’re using in the first place. Calling on the expertise from Mitie’s Waste business, we’ve embedded a ‘zero single-use’ and ‘zero-to-landfill’ mindset in our service to reach ‘zero carbon’. We’ve replaced all black plastic bags with refuse collection satchels and rack sacks, to eliminate all single-use material. We’ve even found a nifty way of reusing old employee uniforms as hanging basket liners, to reduce the waste that goes to landfill. Any general waste that is produced is processed into heat and energy, while green waste is sent to anaerobic digestion plants, where it’s turned into methane and liquid fertiliser, to be used in a number of industries, including gas and farming. Bringing the bees back As part of our Plan Zero City Landscaping Service, we’re also helping our clients support biodiversity in their local areas by installing bird boxes, planting wildflowers, and creating green walls. These green spaces not only help enhance the biodiversity in the communities where our clients operate, according to existing research, they can also contribute to the wellbeing of our customers’ employees. Although launched less than a year ago, all these efforts to create a truly sustainable service have already received excellent feedback from our customers. Not only have clients been impressed by our ‘zero carbon’, ‘zero single-use’ and ‘zero-to-landfill’ approach, they’ve also benefited from receiving a service that contributes to their own net-zero goals. Our employees are proud to be playing a role in helping clean up urban environments, too. After such a successful trial in London, we’re excited to explore which other cities we can bring the Plan Zero Landscaping Service to next.

IF WE TRULY WANT TO WIN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE, WE NEED TO GO FURTHER AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES WE’RE USING IN THE FIRST PLACE Creating greener landscapes Climate change is not a fight we can win alone, so it’s vital that we all come together and do our bit to cut carbon emissions. As businesses working directly with the environment, the landscape industry has an opportunity to lead the way and show both our clients, but also other industries, how we can redesign our services with sustainability absolute front of mind.

A B O U T T I M H OW E L L Tim is a career horticulturist who has previously worked for Gavin Jones and Hillier’s. Tim joined Mitie in 2002 to launch and develop the landscapes business and is managing director for Mitie Landscapes. Mitie Landscapes delivers grounds maintenance and winter services for a large diverse and blue-chip customer base – ranging from banks and retailers to hospitals, schools and government offices – across the UK.

www.mitie.com

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17/02/2021 16:16

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18/02/2021 11:23

INFORM

RACHEL BAILEY & BECCA DUNCAN LISTEN AND LEARN RACHEL BAILEY AND BECCA DUNCAN SHARE WHAT THEY’VE LEARNT SO FAR FROM THE SERIES OF WEBINARS THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER ON DESIGNING GARDENS THAT HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

e are all increasingly aware that we need to be designing and building gardens and landscapes that are ‘sustainable’. On this basis, the gardens we create should not result in the destruction of natural landscapes for the extraction of resources or the emission of high amounts of carbon dioxide/greenhouse gases and the production of waste. They should minimise negative impacts on intensity and frequency of extreme events and create habitats and enhance biodiversity. With a now nine-year target to limit the global temperature

MANY CONVERSATIONS IN THE INDUSTRY HAVE FOCUSED ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, AND THESE HAVE OFTEN RAISED MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERED. THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE GO ABOUT THIS? rise to just 1.5°C and avoid a catastrophic event1 plus the devastating destruction of habitat and decline in wildlife, we need to urgently address the design of our streets, parks and gardens. Recently, many conversations in the industry have focused on what we should be doing, and these have often raised more questions than answered. The question is, how do we go about

44 Pro Landscaper / March 2021

Rachel Bailey.indd 44

this? With this in mind, we reached out to some leaders in their fields to find out how we could design more sustainable gardens. With the backing of Zero Waste Scotland, we put together a free webinar series on Sustainable Design Solutions for the landscape industry in response to the climate crisis. At the time of writing, three of the talks have been aired and have been extremely well received. By the time you read this, the live series will be completed; however, all of the videos (except ‘Tomorrow’s Timber’) are available on YouTube2. At the start of this year, landscape architect Eustacia Brossart beamed in from San Fransisco to explain the climate positive challenge and demonstrate Pathfinder v2.0: The carbon calculator for the landscape industry3. The climate positive challenge was devised to encourage those of us in the landscape industry to ‘strive to get positive on all our projects as soon as possible by reducing carbon footprints and increasing sequestration in the places we design, specify and build’. The suggested targets are five years to positive for parks, residential, mixed-use or campus developments, and 20 years for streetscapes or plazas. This may seem a tall order, but the projects registered on the website to date are projected to closely achieve this (21 years for streetscapes and

nine years for parks, gardens and campuses). Together, these designed landscapes will sequester 1.6 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 10 years4. Eustacia demonstrated how the Pathfinder v2.0 carbon calculator tool, which she codesigned with Pamela Conrad, can help us calculate not only the embodied carbon within our designs but also how much carbon can be sequestered as a consequence of the design. Pathfinder v2.0 is a free web-based app linked to the Climate Positive Design website. Whilst in its infancy, the calculator together with the design toolkit proves a powerful and relatively easy tool that each one of us can apply to the gardens we are designing, building and maintaining. It was remarkable how huge savings in carbon could be created by making small changes to the design, such as planting more,

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 14:34

INFORM

reducing the paving, using materials such as timber and considering the long-term maintenance of the landscape. Encouragingly, Eustacia said that clients invariably bought into a change in a design – whether through a change of material choices and/or increased planting – when they saw the effect the changes had on reducing the number of years for the site to become carbon positive (i.e. to start sequestering carbon dioxide). Following on from this, Nick Ribbons of Zero Waste Scotland5 gave an informative talk on circular economy approaches in the landscaping industry. He provided food for thought on how we can reduce the impact of the gardens we design and build on the environment by designing out waste and repairing, reusing, repurposing and, as a last resort, recycling materials. He emphasised the need to design for deconstruction. For example, designing for easy access to components that have a short lifespan so they can be repaired or replaced without full scale demolition. At the end of the structure’s life, whether that be from a change in client’s needs or the end of life of major components, the item can be dismantled, and the materials can be reused, repurposed or finally recycled. This has been widely considered in the building industry, but there is plenty of scope to translate these approaches for landscaping projects. Nick reiterated that clients buy into the reduction in waste when they are involved right from the beginning of the project. We know that bricks and concrete have a huge carbon footprint due to the CO2 that is emitted during the firing of bricks and during the production of cement, respectively6. In our third session, Dr Sam Chapman from Kenoteq talked to us about their patented ‘K-Briq’, an unfired brick. The K-Briq is made nearly exclusively from waste materials and boasts the highest recycled content of anything in the UK. Full certification of the K-Briq as a facing brick is projected for the end of 2021. Whilst in its infancy, this brick has huge potential as an alternative construction material for the landscape industry. The company is looking to further develop the patented K-Briq as a brick-slip for cladding and as an alternative to clay pavers, and is very open to work with us to further develop its range. Please check out these and other talks in the series, which include: Soil, the Climate crisis and the landscape industry given by Professor Colin Campbell, James Hutton Institute; Garden Lighting: the effects on wildlife and design

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Rachel Bailey.indd 45

solutions by Dr Davide Dominoni, Glasgow University; Streets and Gardens as a Resource for Biodiversity by the ecologist and plantsman Kevin Hughes (Cally Gardens); and the Innovative use of Sustainable Timber in the Landscaping Industry given by Dr Pablo van der Lugt, an architectural engineer and sustainability consultant.

This series of webinars should enable us to make better informed decisions during the design process, so that we can create ‘net positive’ gardens. Collectively, we have the ability to make a significant impact on retaining natural landscapes, protecting wildlife and minimising extreme climate events. 1

COLLECTIVELY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON RETAINING NATURAL LANDSCAPES, PROTECTING WILDLIFE AND MINIMISING EXTREME CLIMATE EVENTS From what we have heard so far, sustainable landscape design solutions do not compromise our ability to create beautiful and healthy outside spaces, underpinned by good ethical principles for our clients. There is increasing evidence that children growing up surrounded by green space are healthier and more productive. Trees absorb pollutants in the air and water creating a healthier and more resilient environment. And using less paving and more planting in a garden is more cost effective, which is always in the client’s interest!

IPCC special report, Global Warming of 1.5°C Oct. 2018. https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UClEPU5Elhx7Atx8V2FoabfA Climate Positive Design and Pathfinder: www.climatepositivedesign.com/pathfinder https://www.archdaily.com/954919/pamela-conradon-climate-positive-design-landscape-architectureand-carbon-sequestration Zero Waste Scotland: https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk https://cen.acs.org/materials/inorganic-chemistry/ Alternative-materials-shrink-concretes-giant/98/i45

ABOUT BECCA DUNCAN AND RACHEL BAILEY Becca Duncan and Rachel Bailey are awardwinning garden designers based in Scotland. Rachel is also a permaculture designer with a long-term interest in sustainable design. They create anything from naturalistic wildscapes to more traditional sub-urban and town gardens, all with a strong focus on planting and the environmental impact of their designs. They are also regional coordinators (Scotland) for the Society of Garden Designers.

www.blossominggardens.co.uk www.rachelbaileydesign.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 45

18/02/2021 14:35

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UK LANDSCAPE BAROMETER DECEMBER 2020

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n this issue of the UK Landscape Barometer, we are focused on the trading month of December 2020. The temperatures dropped, vaccinations began, Christmas actually happened, a mutated COVID strain was discovered, and a Brexit deal went through – what a month! In terms of the statistics and graphs, you will see that the ‘boom’ is perhaps tailing off as results have been more mixed. This is maybe not too surprising considering all that happened during December. In terms of confidence and comments which reflect on more current times, there is much more positivity. Those that are more confident rose by 16%. It is still early days, but we are a good few weeks into leaving the EU. The vaccination rollout is very much underway now too. We are still in uncertain times; however there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel and a positive outlook for the year ahead. If you would like the full report or would like to contribute to the UK Landscape Barometer moving forward, please send an email to Joshua Chew on joshua.chew@eljays44.com or call on 01903 777 570. Please note that all statistics are based on those surveyed and compare December 2020 to December 2019 except confidence. Confidence is compared at the time of survey to the same time last year.

NATIONAL TURNOVER 3% 20%

23%

54%

PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDANTS MORE CONFIDENT COMPARED TO LAST MONTH 100%

Lower

90%

70%

Higher

60%

No response

THE RISE IN CONFIDENCE COULD BE FROM THE VAST NUMBER OF VACCINATIONS BEING ROLLED OUT.

80%

Equal

50% 40% 30%

ENQUIRIES 10%

13%

20% 10%

Lower

Oct20

Nov20

Dec20

Jan21

Feb21

Mar21

Apr21

May21

Jun21

Jul21

Aug21

Sep21

Equal STAFF

Higher

35%

42%

No response

20%

CONVERSION Lower Equal

PROJECTS 45%

3% 20%

Lower Equal

54%

23%

Higher No response

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UK Landscape Barometer-2.indd 49

24% 35%

Equal

Higher 30%

No response

Lower

Higher 41%

Enquiries appear to be dropping to more expected levels as 42% said they were equal and only 35% still noticing an increase. We can still see an increase in those working on more projects (54%) in December continuing from a rise in enquiries. Again, it seems that as the number of projects have increased, so has the need for staff; 45% of respondents increased full-time staff with only 20% decreasing. The conversion rate has remained the same – if not higher – with only 24% stating fewer conversions.

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 49

18/02/2021 16:39

ENQUIRIES

PROJECTS

THE SOUTH

THE MIDLANDS

SCOTLAND AND THE NORTH

GARDEN DESIGN

DESIGN AND BUILD

COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING

DOMESTIC LANDSCAPING

20% Higher

40% Equal

60% Lower

80%

100%

No response

STAFF

20% Higher

40%

60%

Equal

Lower

80%

100%

No response

CONVERSION

THE SOUTH

THE MIDLANDS

SCOTLAND AND THE NORTH

DESIGN AND BUILD

GARDEN DESIGN

DESIGN AND BUILD COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING

DOMESTIC LANDSCAPING

20% Higher

40% Equal

50 Pro Landscaper / March 2021

UK Landscape Barometer-2.indd 50

DOMESTIC LANDSCAPING

60% Lower

80%

100%

No response

20% Higher

40% Equal

60% Lower

80%

100%

No response

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 16:39

NURSERIES The majority (80%) of nurseries are less confident than this time last year. Christmas seemed to affect trade. One nursery stated: “Not a good comparison, December against November, as half of December is Christmas break. Day to day trade holding up well though the future is still uncertain. Trade is currently strong and there have been strong sales from [October] 2020 to date. Stock is becoming very low causing prices to increase.”

CONFIDENCE

Another said: “December was very strong at the start of the month but tailed off quickly. Sites appeared to shut early for Christmas and customers appeared to be focused on bringing in plant material from Europe to best post Brexit complications and cost. January has been very hit and miss; plenty of quotes, but significantly down on stock being despatched. “February and March are shaping up to be very busy! We are receiving a lot of enquires

from folks who would normally buy primarily from Holland or Germany.” There are silver linings for some. One nursery said, “Quotes are still coming in for tendering for three to five years ahead and we are winning big commercial projects for 2022 and 2023 already, which is bit of surprise. We are hoping as time progresses these projects are not downgraded or even shelved. Reasons to be positive though for the commercial landscape nurseries.”

TURNOVER

QUOTES

20%

20% 40%

80%

40% 100%

Less

Higher

Lower

Higher

No response

SOIL Most (75%) soil suppliers saw an increase in the volume of soil sold during December. The same number also saw an increase in their number of quotes. On average, quotes rose by 29% against December 2019. There might still be some concerns though as confidence was mixed.

CONFIDENCE

One soil supplier commented: “The end of the year is always a slightly quieter time for the industry but compared to 2019 we are definitely seeing confidence in projects going ahead into 2021 despite the obvious COVID related concerns. We are quoting on more jobs than before and are planning for a busy 2021.”

VOLUME SOLD

25%

Meanwhile, another supplier noticed that “December 2020 saw a far higher volume of bagged soil and roof garden soil sales than the previous year.” Another said there is an “increased demand for bespoke blends and more emphasis on product specifications”.

CONFIDENCE

25%

50%

25%

Less

Equal

75%

Lower

Higher

No response

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

UK Landscape Barometer-2.indd 51

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 51

18/02/2021 16:40

PROPERTY DEVELOPER SPECIAL

reen spaces are the bread and butter of the landscaping industry; it’s what we know and understand. We know just how important it is for domestic and commercial clients and public realms. How is it perceived in other sectors though? Do they hold similar views as we do? Well, we asked them, and here’s what they think.

IS THE LANDSCAPING SURROUNDING YOUR DEVELOPMENTS MORE IMPORTANT THAN IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO?

7% 7% 14%

ARE YOU GETTING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE FROM CLIENTS TO INCREASE GREEN SPACE WITHIN DEVELOPMENTS? Interestingly, 40% of those that said ‘yes’ to the first question said ‘no’ to receiving additional pressure from clients to increase green space within their developments. They make up 29% of the half that said no. Perhaps it could be concluded, then, that the importance of green spaces for some (29%) is not driven by clients but by other factors. There were some comments that clients have been happy with the amount of green space within developments already. One company said they work on semi-rural developments and have not received any complaints about the size of green space established for this setting. Still, 43% of respondents are being pressured by clients for even more green space than what is being provided.

43% 50%

Yes

No Other

72% DOES GREEN SPACE PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE IN GAINING PLANNING PERMISSION? Yes Other

No Don’t know

Most respondents (72%) think that the landscaping around their developments is more important than five years ago and only 14% think this is untrue. Seven percent said they were unsure while another 7% said something else such as ‘client dependent.’ One property developer even commented that, though they weren’t founded five years ago, they’ve seen the value of green spaces grow in the few years they’ve been operating. The importance of green spaces seems to be rising, which is promising news for the future of the landscaping industry.

79% agree that green spaces are beneficial in obtaining planning permission. One commented: “Yes, maybe even too much.” Another developer said that it might even be a condition for granting planning permission. This shows how influential green areas are.

79%

Yes Other

DO YOU RINGFENCE THE BUDGET FOR GREEN SPACE ON PROJECTS?

14%

Don’t know

14%

DO YOU THINK GREEN SPACE ON DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE LESS, EQUAL, OR MORE IMPORTANT OVER THE COMING YEARS? 7%

7% Yes

No Other

79%

52 Pro Landscaper / March 2021

UK Landscape Barometer-2.indd 52

Don’t know

The vast majority (79%) think green spaces will grow in importance. This is a higher number than those that, looking back, think it has grown in importance over previous years. One developer said that it is important already and will be equally important in coming years. They put in communal green spaces wherever possible. If there’s a mature tree on site, they will try to keep and utilise it.

72%

Yes

Don’t know Since green spaces seem to have been deemed such an essential part of developments, it is clear that part of the budget should be set aside for the area. 72% said that they do so.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 16:41

IS IT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SELECT THE LANDSCAPER TO CARRY OUT THE WORK?

14% Yes

No Other

14%

Don’t know

65%

DO YOU SEND THE LANDSCAPING WORKS OUT FOR TENDER?

14%

50%

22% Yes Other

It is the responsibility of most (65%) property developers surveyed to select landscapers to complete the works; 14% said it was not up to them with one developer stating that they actually contract it out to the builders. Another splits the responsibility between themselves and the construction contractor.

IS MORE INVESTMENT BEING PLACED ON LONG TERM MAINTENANCE OF GREEN SPACES? A fair number (29%) of respondents were unsure on the answer to this question with some commenting that it isn’t something they are involved with and is somebody else’s responsibility. Half responded that more investment is being placed on maintenance of green spaces. One commented that the investment in green space goes hand in hand with the investment for maintenance of it. Another similarly said that when green space is planned, the maintenance of it is also planned.

14%

72%

Yes

Only 14% do not have landscapers they prefer to work with while most (72%) do. It was commented by some that they support and work with local landscapers.

DO YOU SPECIFY PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT IN YOUR GARDEN SPACES?

7% 29%

29% 50%

64% 21%

Yes

Don’t know Yes

Don’t know

From the data we have gathered, we can conclude that green spaces are becoming ever more important and it does not look like this trend will change in the coming years. Some clients are content with the green space with which they are being provided while others are pushing for more. Green space seems to play a positive, perhaps even essential, role in gaining planning permission. Budget is usually set aside for landscaping works. Some developers send the works out for tender, while more have developed relationships with chosen landscapers and prefer to work with them. Investment on maintenance is growing and play areas are not too common. The awareness and importance of green spaces seems to be on an upward trend which is promising news for the future of landscaping.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Don’t know

Half of those surveyed answered that the works are sent out for tender whilst 22% use other routes. 14% commented something else. One construction company said: “It depends. Some developers have their own landscapers that may be doing maintenance on other projects which they would then use for the current development.” Another commented: “It depends on the location. If the development is local then we have local landscapers we work with; however, if it is further afield, we will send it out for tender.”

UK Landscape Barometer-2.indd 53

HAVE YOU GOT A CHOSEN GROUP OF LANDSCAPERS YOU PREFER WORKING WITH?

We asked if playground equipment was included in the green spaces of developments; 64% said they do not. This might be dependent on the type of developments being worked on. One construction company said that it depends on the requirements of the project. Another property developer stated that they specialise in more than 55 properties, hence why it hasn’t been specified previously.

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 53

18/02/2021 16:43

The average lead time for domestic landscapers and design and build companies nationally is

6 MONTHS The number of projects worked on was up by

The number of quotes nurseries received went down an average

9% 16% The number of enquiries received had an average

INCREASE OF

Garden designers worked on over double the number of projects with a

Number of quotes rose by

50% 120% 18%

The quotes that soil suppliers received went up by

increase on average

29% 26% Turnover increased by

on average for nurseries

on average

Domestic landscapers saw Number of NO CHANGE in turnover or projects worked enquiries as they REMAINED on increased by

COMPLETELY STATIC

Commercial landscaping companies had an average

INCREASE OF 15% regarding turnover

72%

of property developers have a chosen group of landscapers that they prefer working with

CONVERSIONS from enquiry to contract

ROSE BY 6%

The only sector with a decreased conversion rate was design and build at

-2%

Enquiries increased by an average

Garden designers saw an increase in turnover of

for garden designers

on average

39% 74% National turnover was UP BY 36% on average

for design and with 54% of respondents noticing an INCREASE build companies Turnover INCREASED by an average 33% for design and build companies

Most property developers think GREEN SPACE on developments will be more IMPORTANT over the coming years with 79% SAYING SO

54 Pro Landscaper / March 2021

UK Landscape Barometer-2.indd 54

29%

on average for nurseries

nationally

72%

of property developers said the landscaping surrounding their developments is more important now than five years ago

64% of property developers DO NOT SPECIFY PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT in their green spaces, with only 29% STATING THEY DO www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 16:44

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O F F TO A

FLYING START THANKS TO ANOTHER TRANCHE OF HS2RELATED WORK, THE UK CONSTRUCTION SECTOR FINISHED 2020 ON A POSITIVE HIGH, AND IT HAS STARTED 2021 IN A SIMILAR VAIN – AND THAT’S GOOD NEWS FOR THE LANDSCAPING SECTOR, SAYS NEIL EDWARDS

ver the past three years, the level of new construction contract awards has established a monthly average of approximately £4bn. Anything below that is cause for economic jitters; anything above cause is cause for cautious celebration. In December 2020, the level of new contract awards was an astonishing £12bn, thanks to yet another tranche of HS2 contracts being let. And while January 2021 failed to replicate that anomaly, a monthly total of £6.2bn kicks off the New Year in style. Equally importantly, the landscaping sector is set to become a key beneficiary of that further upswing in workload. The biggest single award recorded on the BCLive league table of construction activity during January 2021 was a £940m contract for Hill Partnership. Let by client Poplar HARCA, the contract is for the creation of as many as 2,500 dwellings as part of a wider regeneration of the Teviot Estate in Poplar, East London that will require extensive landscaping work. As has become the established norm, the house-buildings sector contributed 188 new contract awards to the monthly total. Together, these were valued at a combined £2.89bn. The largest single housing contract was won by Redrow Homes; a £60m contract for the creation of new three, four and five-bedroom dwellings at Brizen View in Cheltenham. Altogether, Redrow picked up

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eight new contract awards during the month worth a combined £274m. An £85m contract to demolish part of Oscott Manor School in Erdington, Birmingham was awarded to G F Tomlinson Building. Together with the erection of one and two-storey educational buildings, the contract calls for the creation of outdoor sports and play facilities. Bowmer + Kirkland won the contract to demolish and redevelop the John Dalton West Building at Manchester Metropolitan University. Valued at £82m, that contract includes the building of a new seven-storey

AS A FURTHER BOOST TO POSITIVITY IN COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING CIRCLES IS THE NEWS THAT A NEW BUILDING CODE IS TO PLACE A GREATER EMPHASIS UPON ‘BEAUTY’

Regionally, London and the Midlands had most to celebrate in January 2021. With more than 100 new contract awards, London provided £1.87bn in new contract awards while the combined East and West Midlands served up another £996m. The North West region contributed a further £726m while Scotland continues to play catch-up with a lowly £152m. As a further boost to positivity in commercial landscaping circles is the news that a new building code is to place a greater emphasis upon “beauty”. The measures are a response to the Living with Beauty report produced in January 2020 by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission. Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said: “We need to bring about a profound and lasting change in the buildings that we build, which is one of the reasons we are placing a greater emphasis on locally popular design, quality and access to nature.” Proposed changes include using the word “beauty” in planning rules with emphasis on whether a building is attractive to locals. The code is to be piloted among 20 communities, with expressions of interest already open for the first 10 councils that want help creating their own versions. Successful authorities will be eligible for a share of £500k from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

A B O U T N E I L E DWA R D S

educational building for the Faculty of Science and Engineering, together with extensive hard and soft landscaping. Winvic Construction was awarded an £80m contract for the construction of some 375 new residential apartments at a development called The Residences, close to the famous Edgbaston Stadium. That contract will include car and cycle parking together with extensive hard and soft landscaping.

Neil Edwards is CEO of Builder’s Conference, the construction industry’s leading trade body. It provides its members to sales leads and market intelligence, as well as statistical data and networking opportunities. BCLive is a real-time league table of construction contract award activity. Operated by the Builders’ Conference, the BCLive league table monitors more than 6,000 new contract awards each year with a combined value of over £80bn. www.buildersconference.co.uk

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18/02/2021 16:13

NATURE

AT ITS MOST

NATURAL

PERHAPS UNSURPRISINGLY, LOCKDOWN HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE VIEW OUR HOME INTERIOR, SAYS EVA WOODE

ince the pandemic began, we’ve perhaps spent more time up close to man-made design – the good and the bad – than ever before, especially those objects we’ve chosen to decorate our homes with. Government-enforced lockdowns and social isolation have shrunk our lives into four-walled bubbles, and the time we spend outdoors has been elevated from something humdrum to something precious. For some, daily exercise – a couple of laps around the block, a stroll around the park, or just a walk up the high street to the supermarket – has been a highlight and given an integral form of structure to our days.

THIS NEWFOUND APPRECIATION FOR BEING OUTSIDE OF OUR HOMES HAS ENCOURAGED MANY OF US TO REASSESS THE WAY WE DESIGN THE SPACES AND ACCUMULATE THE OBJECTS INSIDE OF THEM This newfound appreciation for being outside of our homes has encouraged many of us to reassess the way we design the spaces and accumulate the objects inside of them. Reflective of the ‘biophilia hypothesis’, welcoming pot plants into our home-come-offices has been a

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favourite way of bringing the outdoors in, tapping into humankind’s innate connection to nature. The shift to working from home has blurred boundaries between free time and work time. Studies have reported that our screen time has increased during the pandemic, both for working adults, and children and adolescents e-learning at home. There have been evenings when after a long working day in front of the laptop, the thought of staying at my desk and staring at pixels for another couple of hours to catch up with friends on a video call has felt overwhelming. Back in 2016, the Financial Times reported that digital overload was ‘inspiring a trend for “raw” materials’ in the home, and this was recently echoed by ArchDaily in its list of design trends forecasted to shape the next decade. Materials in their rawest state – unfinished, rough, irregular, exposed – both have a muchdesired multisensory appeal and bring naturalness into the home. As well as highlighting how vital contact with nature is to our wellbeing, the pandemic has also highlighted the importance of taking pleasure in simpler things. COVID-19 has uprooted so many elements of life and we have been forced to take stock of the things that truly matter – our health and the health of those around us – and go back to basics, to a stripped back way of life. The interiors’ trend of raw materials captures this ethos in a tangible way. The Barn in Norfolk, renovated by Suffolk based interior design practice, Rendall & Wright, is a showcase of the aesthetic beauty of raw materials in the home. Wooden flooring and stairs, and exposed beams and stonework, bring the outdoors in and deepen the building’s connection to its natural surroundings.

THE BARN, NORFOLK

From modest city balconies, to suburban parks, this aesthetic translates easily to outdoor spaces. Less formalised designs could be one way of achieving this, along with using more materials in their rawest states, offering us the opportunity to get closer to nature in its most natural and authentic form. References • Sultana, Abida, et al. “Digital Screen Time During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Public Health Concern.” SocArXiv, 1 Sept. 2020. Web. • ‘Interior Design Trends That Will Shape The Next Decade’ by Pola Mora, archdaily.com

A B O U T E VA WO O D E Eva Woode is the director of Studio Woode Ltd, a curating studio with a focus on sustainability and wellbeing in the built environment. She is also the founder of Edify Content Studio, an agency specialised in thought-leadership content for the interiors, architecture and construction industry. www.studiowoode.com

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 57

18/02/2021 15:16

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A Charming Oak Framed Double Bay Enclosed Garage

A Traditional Oak Garden Pergola

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A Beautifully Crafted Oak Framed Barn with Hardwood Cladding

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INSPIRE

PORTFOLIO 3 LUNDSCAPE OUTDOOR DESIGN

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I N S I D E I N S P I R E T H I S M O N T H PA G E 6 1 P O R T F O L I O 1 : B D P, PA G E 6 4 P O R T F O L I O 2 : J I L AY N E R I C K A R D S C O N T E M P O R A R Y G A R D E N D E S I G N , PA G E 6 8 P O R T F O L I O 3 : L U N D S C A P E O U T D O O R D E S I G N , PA G E 7 2 L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T ’ S J O U R N A L , PA G E 7 6 YO U R G A R D E N M A D E P E R F E C T, PA G E 7 9 A N J I C O N N E L L , PA G E 8 3 F I R E P I T S

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18/02/2021 17:02

ADVERTORIAL

We are constantly striving to reduce the carbon footprint of our pots and planters. Cement is usually seen as a negative in this respect however at Torc we use various products to reduce our use of cement and therefore our carbon footprint. We currently substitute up to 15% of the cement content with fly ash and micro silica - both bi-products of the steel and power industries. The addition of these substitutes increases the overall strength of the pot, improves sulphate resistance, decreases permeability and reduces the water requirement. We also use a percentage of glass sand which comes from recycled bottles. We are currently working closely with a local recycling company

trialing various recycled sand products with the aim being that all of our sand will be recycled in the near future. Furthermore, all water used in the studio is captured from rainwater off the roofs of our buildings. We have recently installed a wash bay reclamation system which allows us to recycle our water entirely. Our pots are thrown by hand in layers which reduces material waste to zero as we ensure there is always a pot on the wheel to be able to use any left-over material - we are extremely precise in batching to avoid waste. Because of both the compressive and flexural strength of the mix our products are extremely durable

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and should last a lifetime. Due to the strength of our mix it also allows us to use far less material than traditional cast products therefore further reducing our use of cement. As our product is a cement-based mix there is no requirement for heat in the curing process. We do not use ovens or furnaces which are traditionally used to fire clay pots (consuming large amounts of energy) we cure our products by hydration! When it comes to transportation we now use fully recycled bio-plastic made from bamboo to package our products. Last but by no means least our pots become a home for trees and shrubs helping to absorb carbon and clean the planet!

www.torcpots.com 18/02/2021 17/02/2021 11:01 09:12

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SPONGE PA R K

W EST G O RTO N C O M M U N I T Y PA R K BDP SUMMER 2020 REVEALED THE FINAL PIECE IN A £100M R E G E N E R AT I O N S S C H E M E O F 5 0 0 N E W H O M E S , N E W C O M M U N I T Y FA C I L I T I E S A N D S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T S I N T H E A R E A – A B R A N D N E W C O M M U N I T Y PA R K

PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value Approx. £1.4m Build time 10 months Size of project 57.3 ha

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1 Pontoon deck over raingarden 2 Growing area brings community together 3 New play area with natural boulders

et in the fairly deprived area of West Gorton, there had previously been little community cohesion and limited usable green space. BDP worked with Manchester City Council, the Guinness Partnership Ltd (TGPL) and the University of Manchester (UoM) to change things via this unique project. TGPL led a consultation to identify the community’s needs and aspirations for the open spaces and, through engaging with the community, raised awareness about the challenges of climate change to inspire local people to take pride in and ownership of the new park.

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Brief Climate change and the need to plan for green infrastructure is playing an increasingly significant role in a new approach to design in built up areas. In addition, heavy rainfall events are becoming more frequent and managing this excess water in our urban environments is increasingly challenging. As part of an innovative scheme to use nature-based solutions to combat the effects of climate change and reduce storm water flooding in the area, Manchester City Council and TGPL tasked landscape architects, BDP – alongside engineering and design consultancy, ARUP – to design a new sustainable drainage park for the community in West Gorton. It was to achieve this using an interconnected series of swales, rain gardens and bio-attenuation features.

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This park is the first UK demonstrator project for the GrowGreen initiative, which is funded by the European Union’s 2020 Horizon programme. The initiative aims to show how green infrastructure can combat against the effects of climate change by providing quantifiable evidence. Design and build Unlike a typical park, idverde was tasked with building this ‘sponge park’ specifically designed to manage the flow of rainwater into a drainage system to help prevent flooding. Paths and hard surfaces have been replaced with permeable paving to allow rainwater to percolate through the ground, or channelled from surrounding roads to irrigate the new planting. Infiltration ponds will soak up water and any remaining will flow into sunken rain gardens, which have been planted with a range of biodiverse vegetation to enhance the area’s natural environment. During heavy storms, water that cannot be absorbed by soil and vegetation will be captured through a series of dished channels and used to water the 100 new trees and plants. University of Manchester will monitor the storm water flows over the next five years to examine how effective the park is in reducing flooding and how people make use of the space. The data they gather will then be used to inform the design of other green spaces in flood prone areas across the EU. Plants have been selected to boost biodiversity and include natural species as well nectar rich species such as Rudbeckia, Echinacea and Verbena, giving the park a splash of colour in the summer and attracting bees and butterflies. The landscape design for the park seeks to promote social cohesion and

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INSPIRE

wellbeing, as well as environmental benefits to the city. The design incorporates three distinct areas; a woodland area filled with tree-lined paths and play features; a biodiverse meadow with picnic area and; community area for outdoor events. The aim is to encourage visitors to interact with nature and feel a strong sense of community.

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Adventure play within woodland garden Nature sign post Hard basketball court Swale water inlet from highway Balance trail over grass SuDS basin Wild boar imaginative play Mature trees cool and clean the air Nectar-rich biodiverse SuDS planting Herb planting within raised beds Bridge over riverbed play trail

ABOUT BDP BDP is an international interdisciplinary practice of architects, engineers, designers and urbanists. BDP Landscape is one of the largest landscape practices in the UK. It undertakes all aspects of landscape design, from masterplanning and initial concepts through to detailed design and on-site delivery. It has a proven track record in delivering high quality, award winning schemes across a variety of sectors, focusing on innovative, sustainable landscapes which balance the needs of people with those of the wider environment.

www.bdp.com

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INSPIRE

R EC L A I M I N G

NATURE T H E U R B A N R E T R E AT

J I L AY N E R I C K A R DS CONTEMPORARY GARDEN DESIGN AN ARTISTIC COUPLE NEEDED THEIR OVERLOOKED GARDEN TO BE INJECTED WITH SOME BEAUTY AND CHARM TO BEST REFLECT THEIR VICTORIAN PROPERTY

t the end of a terrace, a semi-detached Victorian property full of all the beauty and charm you’d expect from a period property had an awkward and overlooked garden which needed to match the creativity of its owners. Tapering towards the end, the garden forms an awkward triangular shape, and is overlooked in places by the neighbouring house. Although South West facing, it is for the most part shady with a few sunny areas nearer the house, and has the expected north London clay for soil.

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INSPIRE

PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £45,866 Build time 4 weeks Size of project 77m2

Brief With the clients on this project both creative people – one a writer, the other an artist – they wanted their small garden to create a unique, calming and restful place to be quiet and reflective in. They hoped that the completed garden, though newly built and planted, might nevertheless evoke a place of wonder and old stories, and provide a nurturing space to refresh the imagination. It was important to them to reuse and recycle as much as possible, in order to reduce the carbon footprint of the build. Practically, the

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garden should include a few seating areas, a small outdoor eating area for two people, and beautiful planting – all delivered in a creative and original way. Jilayne Rickards was appointed to design the garden in total, help appoint a landscaper, oversee the project and ensure the scheme was finished to the design. Design and build A strong layout and ground pattern anchors the garden back to the house, yet this is balanced by looseness from the curving pathway for a more relaxed feel. Jilayne drew a relationship between

the hard landscaping areas by using dimensions from the architecture of the house and then applying this approach across the entire plot, where possible, to unite the area. This aim was furthered by limiting the landscaping materials to three: slate, wood and gravel. The main patio was pushed out into the garden, with planting enclosing this on both sides, bringing some softness to the hardness 1 Stepping stones leading to painted arbour 2 Table and chairs on patio, charred wooden bench 3 Phyteuma scheuchzeri

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of the building and wall. The bricks were kept from the original retaining wall and reused for the new retaining wall and step riser. Reclaimed slate gives the patio a lived in feel, and is embellished with a keel seat made from reclaimed wood, shelves on the adjacent wall from reclaimed decking, and vintage table and chair from market. The adjoining decked seating area is made from reclaimed decking, with a second hand Victorian wooden bench and ornamentation from market, all sitting under the existing Wisteria. Using a relaxing organic curve, almost like a backbone, the pathway stepping stones (made from slate offcuts) meander to the arbour which provides a beautiful focal point. Made from UK-sourced Douglas Fir and reclaimed

4 Paving with planting and gravel mulch in border 5 Stepping stone path through lush borders Photographs ©Marianne Majerus

PROJECT D E TA I L S Awards Four BALI National Landscaping Awards 2020: • Special Award for First Time Entrant • Special Award for Best Use of Recycled & Reclaimed Materials • Principal Award Winner Design Excellence Overall Scheme Under £50k • Principal Award Winner – Registered Designer & Registered Landscaper Joint

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INSPIRE

slate roof (a nod back to the patio) the arbour features a stained glass panel bought on eBay, which lights up in the morning sun. A restful blue, soft pink, purple, white and green planting palette is used throughout. Three graceful birch trees instantly transform the garden, combined with structure from Acers, Daphne, Pittosporum and Hydrangeas, creating the pivot for the rest of the softer planting scheme – the scent from the Daphne hanging in the air much of the year. The results of working closely and in collaboration with both the client and landscaper right from the start has resulted in a completely unique and dynamic result Jilayne feels could never have been achieved by a drawing and specification alone.

Materials The majority of hard landscaping materials were either reclaimed or recycled, the exception being the gravel and timber for the arbor which were UK sourced. The clients and the teams involved fell in love with the timeless atmosphere these natural and characterful materials brought to the scheme. An eclectic mix of ornamentation sourced from markets and reclaim yards are dotted through the garden for additional interest – the client and Jilayne collaborating closely on each and every purchase. Given the client’s wish to reduce the carbon footprint of the build, many hours were spent researching materials and suppliers for their environmental statement

and credentials. All water drainage was kept on site by using gravel and decking as permeable surfaces, and draining water from the patio into the surrounding beds. Much of the packaging from the plant supply was recycled and all green waste was sent to a recycling plant. Challenges Pressure arose when a deadline of completion within four weeks was thrown in the mix due to Jilayne going away for a month. Good communication and logistics with suppliers to ensure prompt delivery was essential – too early and the small site was overcrowded, too late and it held the job up.

ABOUT JILAYNE RICKARDS As an independent garden designer working primarily in the domestic market, Jilayne runs a personal and individual design service and enjoys working closely with clients, landscapers, suppliers and architects to deliver unique gardens that bring joy to the client and which are beneficial to the environment and wildlife. Projects range from small urban gardens through to larger wildlife gardens, with each one being specific to the client and site.

www.jilaynerickards.com

REFERENCES Designer Jilayne Rickards MSGD MBALI www.jilaynerickards.com BEFORE

LAYING THE CURVED SLATE PATHWAY

RECLAIMED DECKING CONSTRUCTION

Contractor Landscaping Solutions Ltd www.landscapingsolutionsltd.co.uk Stone supply CED Stone Group Ltd www.cedstone.co.uk Decking and Keel Seat Ashwells Timber www.ashwelltimber.com Arbor supply Living Space UK Ltd www.livingspaceuk.net

CONSTRUCTING THE ARBOUR ROOF

BEFORE

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LAYING THE PATIO

Plant supply Europlants UK Ltd www.europlants.net Beth Chatto’s Plants & Gardens www.bethchatto.co.uk Claire Austin www.claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk

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THIS SEA VIEW PROPERTY’S GARDEN NEEDED TO BE RECLAIMED WHILST REMAINING SUSTAINABLE, CLIMATE RESPONSIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

A VISTA

TO REMEMBER P I N N AC L E P O I N T LUNDSCAPE OUTDOOR DESIGN

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et within the steep slopes of the Eastbourne Downland Estate, at the last residence in town before the chalky cliffs lead to Beachy Head lighthouse, is the 1970’s property of Pinnacle Point – one which does not fail to impress with 180o coastline and sea views. The property had been vacant for some time and presented a challenging mixture of outdated elements – high flint and stone walls, pink concrete paving, garish blue pergolas and chocolate brown rotten decking, all overrun by bramble, bindweed and buddleia. Add in a stagnant swimming pool and a series of rockery waterfalls, and across this 500m2 site, set on three to four levels, not one part of the garden seemed to match or complement another. Brief The clients already had some hints and pointers towards redevelopment of the garden, by another well-known and respected designer, so Lundscape Outdoor Design’s initial role was to work with these ‘raw’ suggestions. This included reducing wall heights, adding lines of sight, connecting pathways, and trying to make sense of the baffling formal terraces and ledges. However, it became apparent after further discussions with the clients that the project needed an overall concept and ambition to link the awkward topography and dated hard landscaping into a cohesive and organic landscape for 2020 and beyond. That task fell to Lundscape Outdoor Design. With barely a soul in sight during late March, the property and garden had begun to feel like a prisoner in time with nature poised to reclaim ownership for good. Lundscape Outdoor Design saw potential though, drawing inspiration from eccentric gardens like the Lotusland Botanical Garden in California and Las Pozas in Mexico; forward-thinking and exciting gardens like Hunting Brook and Ventnor Botanic Garden; and traditional gardens which stood the test of time such as The Beth Chatto Gardens and the innovative gardens at Nymans. Lundscape Outdoor Design wanted to create a garden that gave equal significance to restoring the landscaping, and simultaneously transforming the energy and drama of the site through exciting, sustainable planting. As the years pass, the ambition is for the planting scheme to completely dominate any hard landscaping, that these planting selections will characterize and dominate the atmosphere, like a private stage-set where all that matters is the surround and the view.

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INSPIRE

PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £37k Build time 8 months Size of project 500m2

Reuse and recycle The clients are always keen to protect and promote the environment and ecology of any space. Reuse and recycling were key features of the design. It was a top priority to research alternative materials where possible. Things such as biodegradable membranes and pegs, as well as coir/hessian slope stabilisation netting. Not a single skip was filled during the course of the project, instead almost all waste was redirected towards new biodiverse environments. Pinnacle Point had to be an environmentally receptive garden where naturalistic design allowed the dominant budget to be directed towards soft landscaping. Every single chunk of concrete and spoil ended up being redistributed to create undulating ‘landforms’ on the lower lawn terrace, which were then covered in grit, MOT sub-base and topsoil, which was planted with wildflower turf.

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The swimming pool was turned into a natural pond with marginal planting and islands – within weeks it became home to a whole new ecosystem with newts, dragonflies and a host of aquatic insects. Climate and coast The clients, like so many others, wanted Pinnacle Point to be low maintenance – as a second home, it wouldn’t be occupied year-round. And so, Lundscape Outdoor Design needed to work with the existing conditions and create planting matrixes that, once established, would require virtually zero maintenance. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Sunrise glow Reflections to the west New rockery terraces and low-growing wildflowers This area was once a barren chalky slope Shades of California living The re-imagined sun terrace Sharp drainage for arid architectural planting

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The house and gardens straddle the cliffs of the Sussex coast from sunrise to sunset, protected from northerly winds by the rising hills and woods behind – with no escape on a sunny day. Apart from some basic topsoil to give some plants and turf a ‘head start’ the only additives were a mixture of grit, sharp sand and pea shingle, to complement the basic sub-surface of builder’s rubble, concrete and chalk. Planting Though it may be strange to use ‘tender’ palms, agaves, cacti and yuccas, it is not primarily the temperatures which damage or restrict these plants, it is drainage and dampness. Some of the cacti hail from Canada and spend several

SPOIL REDISTRIBUTED TO CREATE UNDULATING ‘LANDFORMS’ AND EVENTUALLY PLANTED WITH WILDFLOWER TURF

weeks of the year under a covering of snow. Desert nights are also notoriously cold. Many of our native trees and shrubs would struggle on these exposed slopes, leaves easily frazzled and branches bent, so Lundscape Outdoor Design concentrated on plants from countries that would be better equipped to cope. This included those that have evolved to either conserve water in times of drought (cacti, succulents), reduce transpiration with narrow, tough leaves, or maximise rainfall. CACTI AND GRASSES

BEFO RE

DUR ING WOR KS

There are around 10 different planting areas and the challenge was to blend them together seamlessly, using a range of decorative aggregates, boulders and rockery, whilst creating a ‘journey’ from coastal to desert and scrubland, as you progress further from the ‘beach’ into the ‘woods’. Challenges “I have quite literally been a ‘sole trader’ throughout this project and there have been many challenges along the way,” explains Martin Lundgren. “There have been many challenges along the way – physical, professional, issues of supply and demand, communication, delay and frustration – but it has also been a great opportunity to feel proud of the landscaping and horticultural industry. Ever positive, enthusiastic, incredibly over-worked, having to adapt on a daily, weekly basis. “I am fortunate to be able to be outdoors, and safe, in the fresh air, creating this conceptual garden that has not been restricted but flourished throughout the pandemic. I hope that the gardens at Pinnacle Point will continue to thrive and be seen as a benchmark for gardens of the future.”

A B OU T LU N D S CA P E O U T D O O R D ES I G N Lundscape Outdoor Design strives to explore the creative potential and possibility of outdoor environments, to develop distinctive and at times unusual spaces. ‘Tried and tested’ is not to be relied upon; within a client brief there is always room to be inventive and innovative. In our changing world Lundscape Outdoor Design hopes to be able to design climate-conscious gardens that reflect or echo a wider landscape beyond, where hard and soft material elements complement each other as they would occur in nature.

www.lundscape.co.uk

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OPT ION S PLA NS AND PLA NTI NG

REFERENCES Plants Provender Nurseries www.provendernurseries.co.uk Big Plant Nursery www.bigplantnursery.co.uk Garden Sage Nurseries www.gardensage.co.uk Tropical Britain www.tropicalbritain.co.uk Plantbase www.plantbase.co.uk Knoll Gardens www.knollgardens.co.uk Leesa’s Alpines leesasalpines.co.uk Architectural Plants www.architecturalplants.com Turf C.B. Winter & Sons cbwinterandsons.com Wildflower Turf Ltd www.wildflowerturf.co.uk Membranes Hy-Tex Ltd www.hy-tex.co.uk Hard landscaping materials Parker Building Supplies www.parkerbs.com Silverland Stone www.silverlandstone.co.uk Provender Nurseries www.provendernurseries.co.uk Rock Unique www.rock-unique.com Gardenscape www.gardenscapedirect.co.uk Dorton Reclaim www.dortonreclaim.com

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18/02/2021 11:21

ROTTERDAM - Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen Architectural Office: Winy Maas - MVRDV Rotterdam MTD landscape architects

Growing the future In order to respond to future needs we must adopt a more forward- thinking approach using smart green applications. As they have in Rotterdam where Ebben Nurseries has done its part towards the city’s green ambitions, placing seventy-five multi-stem birches on the roof of the spectacular Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. At a height of nearly forty metres, the multi-stem Betula pubescens adorn the roof garden of the new museum art storage facility. Discover multi-stem trees or other plants Treeebb.co.uk > Planting types> Multi-stem trees

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VISUALISATION OF ROTTENROW, GLASGOW

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LANDSCAPE A R C H I T EC T ’S JOURNAL R A E B U R N FA R Q U H A R B OW E N

BERTHA PARK POND REFLECTIONS

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SINCE DIRECTORS OF RAEBURNFARQUHARBOWEN, SHEENA RAEBURN, JOHN FARQUHAR AND NICK BOWEN, STEPPED INTO THEIR ROLES IN 2011, THE COMPANY HAS CONTINUED TO EMBRACE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND DEVELOP ITS EXPERTISE IN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE. WE FIND OUT HOW THE COMPANY UTILISES THIS KNOWLEDGE IN ITS PROJECTS, AND HOW IT AIMS TO EDUCATE OTHERS

e’re all in the business of caring for the environment. RaeburnFarquharBowen is no different. But, where other companies achieve this internally with incredible results, RaeburnFarquharBowen understands the need to externalise this green goal too. RaeburnFarquharBowen’s portfolio of landscape led masterplans integrates green infrastructure at its core. This means spaces become multifunctional, sustaining people and nature. “We strive to ensure the landscapes we create and manage are resilient, biodiverse and resourceefficient,” explains Sheena. “We believe that our work should contribute to meeting UN Sustainable Development Goals.” As part of a collaboration with Climate Ready Clyde, RaeburnFarquharBowen is working on a high-profile city centre university-owned public garden at Rottenrow, as part of an initiative looking to increase Glasgow City Region resilience to climate impacts. Surrounding streets will be made more walk and cycle-friendly, a series of terraced rain gardens will help positively manage rainwater, biodiverse, pollinator-friendly habitats will be extended and social spaces for residents will be incorporated. At Bertha Park, Perth, the design team’s vision is to create a sustainable and vibrant community embedded in the Perthshire landscape. It was up to RaeburnFarquharBowen

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TORRIDON COURT VISUAL

to develop the blue-green infrastructure design. Bertha Loch, on the edge of the site, feeds a watercourse that flows through the site. Here, the blue-green infrastructure connects into the existing habitat corridor and extends the wetland corridor habitats through the heart of the development. A network of SuDS permeates through the masterplan, in a linked series of swales, basins and ponds that are integrated with diverse habitats, natural play and active

WE BELIEVE THAT OUR WORK SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO MEETING UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, AND IN SO DOING DELIVER LONG-TERM VALUE TO OUR CLIENTS travel routes. The woodland and floodplain areas along the River Almond form a natural habitat corridor, these will be reinforced through riparian planting and enhancement of the wetland habitat. One of the biggest constraints was an overhead transmission line bisecting the site, limiting the planting of trees and disrupting the flow: “There was a danger that the pylons would overwhelm and split the heart of the new settlement,” explains Sheena. “But it presented an opportunity to create a green infrastructure corridor and high-quality parkland in the village, forming the first impression of Bertha Park as a scheme anchored in the landscape.” While this work is fantastic, it isn’t enough for RaeburnFarquharBowen that it just does its part in creating environmentally-focused projects – it wants to encourage others to do the same by externalising its expertise. This starts with its staff. Included in their continuing professional development is climate, sustainability and resilience related topics which require the team to engage in debate with wider audiences. “We are outward facing and have developed a strong network of links across diverse platforms,” explains Sheena, “This is

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where we contribute to and influence debates, policy and academia, as well as speaking at events and writing articles for journals.” As well as volunteering for Crisis Studios, which helps address industry sustainability knowledge gaps, RaeburnFarquharBowen’s team also collaborates with landscape software developers on their beta testing programme, embracing technologies and helping adapt and develop them through its use of GIS, geo-referenced plans, 3D modelling of tree surveys and earthworks. Perhaps one of its biggest green infrastructure credentials is ‘Building with Nature’ assessor title. The assessment is a tool to measure and show “what good looks like.” This is assessed both quantitively – measuring what components a scheme has – and professionally, where RaeburnFarquharBowen highlights the particular strengths of the scheme, and where there may be scope to pick up on missed opportunities. It was this work which saw the company take home an LI Award, winning RaeburnFarquharBowen the LI Building with Nature National Award 2020. The Forth Valley Hospital and Larbert Woods project set a model for NHS estates and health care facilities, promoting good health rather than just treating illness. “It was a really special moment for the practice to be recognised as a national exemplar of green infrastructure and a model

for NHS estates and other healthcare facilities,” says Sheena. “For relatively modest investment and through generous partnership working, Larbert Woods shows how NHS greenspace can be designed, improved and managed for multiple health and wellbeing benefits.” Garden courtyards run through the building, visitor gardens welcome people at the hospital entrance, and a striking pier into the Loch motivates people to leave the building. While this is beautiful, the real success is that these changes have increased physical activity and annual visitor numbers from below 10,000 in 2012 to over 90,000 in 2018. Judge’s comments included: “Landscape and nature have been an integral part of the redevelopment and imaginative thinking about what a hospital should be. There are lessons here for the whole NHS.” “We build relationships to understand what people feel about their environment, how they

PARK LAYOUT

BERTHA PARK

POND BOARDWALK

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use the space and what difficulties they experience, so we can support their aspirations and ideas for improvements,” says Sheena.

ULTIMATELY, THE LANDSCAPE NEEDS TO WORK FOR NATURE AND PEOPLE RaeburnFarquharBowen will soon submit a planning application for an ambitious project which aims to create an attractive, multifunctional green infrastructure network with a strong sense of place, led by the community for the community. Part of the Making Places initiative – which encourages communities to actively contribute to the renewal of their local area – Woodside Making Places will integrate cycle routes, biodiverse habitats, sustainable rainwater drainage, vibrant doorstep play and edible landscapes. But, the truest example of the company creating for people and place is at the Scottish War Blinded Centre in Paisley. “It’s important as a society that we provide support to those in need, with compassion and kindness,” explains Sheena. “Indeed, creating a place where the vulnerable can thrive and have rich experiences, is immeasurable for continued well-being.” The Hawkhead Centre is Scottish War Blinded’s first flagship facility providing indispensable opportunities for socialising, maintaining health, developing skills and confidence. The brand-new sensory garden encircled by mature oak, larch, pine and maple trees, facilitates sociable group activities, with an area for vegetable gardening and bowls, as

well as spaces for quiet contemplation. Design inspiration comes from the name “Hawkhead”, with curving paths reflecting a hawk’s wings and a feather inspired framework. Accessibility was a key criterion, with flush thresholds to external doors, and paths designed to gentle gradients to ensure inclusive access. The seating recesses are wide enough to allow a wheelchair user to sit beside the bench, or for those less able to store walking aids without compromising other partially sighted members using the paths. Plant choices are selected to provide large blocks of colour, scent or feel, so that partially sighted visitors can experience them without having to search for an individual plant. Grasses such as Stipa gigantea and Molinia caerulea provide height and rustle in the breeze; tactile or soft-leaved Hosta sieboldiana, Foeniculum vulgare and Stachys byzantina give a range of touch sensations; visual contrast is given with Heuchera ‘Can-can’, Rudbeckia fulgida, Ophiopogon planiscapus, Sanguisorba officinalis and Salvia nemorosa with scented plants such as Philadelphus beauclerk, Mentha longifolia, Origanum laevigatum and Helichrysum italicum providing a range of distinctive smells. Collaboration isn’t just about end users, though. The practice is a signatory UK Landscape Architects Declare Climate and Biodiversity Emergency petition, which is part of Construction Declares, a global petition movement uniting all strands of construction and the built environment. SWB HAWKHEAD CENTRE GARDEN

WOODSIDE MAKING PLACES: COMMUNITY CONSULTATION

“Any new development inherently has embodied carbon, that is: CO2 emissions arising from the production, procuring and installing materials and components, including the lifetime emissions from maintenance, repair, replacement and ultimately demolition and disposal,” explains Sheena. “We need to take on specification writing as the art that it can be: sourcing sustainable alternatives to concrete and steel, such as timber and hempcrete or lower-carbon cement; reuse and recycling of materials where possible, such as site-won topsoil and subsoil, recycling of stone into aggregate, felled wood left in situ or turned into woodchip and mulch. “This resonates with the principles of the circular economy, where it’s possible to tap into creative reuse of, what would have been unnecessary waste elements and materials that can be processed for reuse multiple times. But there is still quite a way to go in mainstreaming this approach within a commercial market.” It’s not surprising to find a landscape architecture practice that cares for the environment but RaeburnFarquharBowen raises the green bar, setting a standard that should be followed. Slowly but surely, the nation is waking up to the value of green spaces and the threat that hangs over them. Moving forward, RaeburnFarquharBowen will continue to embrace sustainable design, drawing on its expertise in green infrastructure, community codesign and outdoor recreation, as the prioritisation continues to focus on sustainability, biodiversity and climate resilience internationally.

C O N TA C T RaeburnFarquharBowen CodeBase Stirling, 8-10 Corn Exchange Road, Stirling FK8 2HX Tel 01786 446 446 Email studio@raeburnfarquharbowen.com

www.raeburnfarquharbowen.com

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©BBC/Remarkable TV/Gary Moyes

YOUR GARDEN O

n Thursday 4 February, BBC Two provided a nation with a newfound appreciation of their gardens and greens spaces with Your Garden Made Perfect. But we’ve seen these garden makeover shows before, so how is this different? Well, if the VR technology – used for the first time in a show of this type – isn’t enough, Your Garden Made Perfect avoids many pitfalls which other shows all too often fall into. Firstly, it presents a part of our industry in a way that’s never really been seen before. We’re used to the breathtaking transformations that give other garden makeover shows the wowfactor, but what the public has never really been privy to is the extent of the garden designer’s process. “When it first landed on my desk, I thought it was going to be just another garden makeover show,” one of the show’s garden designers, Helen Elks-Smith, says. “But the intention of the producers was to have the

©BBC/Remarkable TV/Fluid Pictures

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WE SPEAK TO THE GARDEN DESIGNERS INVOLVED IN BBC TWO’S YOUR GARDEN MADE PERFECT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHY ITS DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER GARDEN MAKEOVER SHOW WE’VE SEEN BEFORE

M A D E P E R F EC T

design front and centre – that’s very different from what’s gone before.” Another of the show’s garden designers Manoj Malde adds: “It also deals with how the designer has to connect with the client and the garden – what questions are being asked, how we take inspiration from the home, how we analyse the space and break it down. We are showing the viewer, this is what it actually entails to have your garden designed properly and professionally. There’s no other garden show that competes with that.” Each week, two garden designers visit a typically underutilised and run-down garden which the homeowners don’t know what to do with. But this show leads from the garden designer’s perspective, as two competing professionals meet the homeowners, understand the problems of the space, and find out what it is they want out of it. The garden designers then present their ideas using the VR technology, leaving the homeowners to pick their favourite as the old garden is stripped away and the new design lands in its place. “A lot of the time, when I turn up to a client’s home,

they have no idea what’s going to happen or how it works,” explains Pip Probert, another of the show’s garden designers. “The show does a really good job of introducing everyday people into the world of design.”

WE ARE SHOWING THE VIEWER, THIS IS WHAT IT ACTUALLY ENTAILS TO HAVE YOUR GARDEN DESIGNED PROPERLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. THERE’S NO OTHER GARDEN SHOW THAT COMPETES WITH THAT MAN OJ M A L D E

Whilst doing this, the show also side-steps the issue of viewers believing the gardens being shown are completely out of their reach – or, potentially more damaging, are a lot cheaper than they actually are. “A lot of home improvement shows, particularly garden-orientated shows, give a false or unrealistic impression of the costs involved,”

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explains Tom Massey, another of the show’s garden designers. “On this show, the garden builds were all paid for by the home owners, just like any standard project, giving an accurate representation of landscaping costs.” By avoiding appealing offers of sponsorship that other garden makeover shows accept, there will be no misunderstandings. Pip explains: “We have a lot of people phoning up with a £2k budget expecting to get a lot for their money as they’ve seen it achieved on garden makeover shows. It’s great that this show is different.” ©BBC/Remarkable TV/Fluid Pictures

Alongside the realistic – and transparent – budgets, each episode features a low-cost garden transformation with a budget of £1k to 8k alongside the big budget transformation which range from £20k to 80k. It’s Joel Bird, the show’s final garden designer, who leads these projects, demonstrating what can be achieved with an incredibly low budget. “My philosophy is a bit different to other garden designers,” Joel explains. “I’m just trying to get clients into the garden. Once they’re connecting with nature, learning a little about the plants, learning names, watching bees and hover flies enjoy the garden, they gradually get sucked in.” This philosophy has produced fantastic results, as the homeowner from episode two, Lucy, explains: “We’d always tried to do things in the garden but the scale of the problem was so huge we never got very far. It was great to work on part of the garden with Joel and learn along the way. We’re going to keep adding more plants to the space now – we might even make a cocktail garden to go with the outdoor bar.” Joel expands: “There’s an element of this show which is trying to get people to see how

©BBC/Remarkable TV/Gary Moyes

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©BBC/Remarkable TV/Fluid Pictures

valuable their outdoor space is, and people are getting on board with that – you can feel it in the clients you speak too.” It’s not just the budgets that are realistic either – the plants are too. Far from the beautifully crafted but unrealistic Chelsea gardens, these show plants which are not yet fully mature, and Helen sees this as a huge positive: “The design I see in my head is about five years after the plants have gone in the ground, and this is often what the public is used to seeing, but this show is different. It was really

THERE’S AN ELEMENT OF THIS SHOW WHICH IS TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE HOW VALUABLE THEIR OUTDOOR SPACE IS JO EL BIRD

important for me that we weren’t spending the home owner’s money packing plants in, just for a few minutes of glory on the TV. Plus, one of the complete joys of a garden is that the client and the plants can grow together.” While this is all fantastic, some may question where the contractors fit in. Though the quality of their work is shown off beautifully, does the show go far enough in explaining to the general public the important role of a contractor? “In short, no,” explains Helen, “But this is a show about the design, not the build. And, the reality is, it’s an hour-long programme. On one

build you could probably make six shows if you were going to demonstrate all the skills involved. Can it solve all of the problems with construction that the public need to be aware of? No, I don’t think it can. But I don’t think it’s possible for a programme to do that. Does it try to tackle that in a good way? Absolutely, it does. “Giving viewers an accurate representation of how much things cost will help contractors as well. They can see that these are good contractors, doing a job properly to a high standard. It should help those contractors who are charging fair wages to do a job.” The gardens presented are undeniably stunning representations of what this industry can produce, and though the work of the contractors is not shown in detail, it seems it will still mean good things for them. “The pandemic has helped in some respects to connect people with their gardens. This programme takes it a step further,” explains Manoj. “Here, they can start to see the garden as part of their home and the added value they can gain by engaging a professional designer

©BBC/Remarkable TV/Gary Moyes

and landscaping team who really know what they’re dealing with.”These elements of the show open up a part of our industry to the general public in a way that doesn’t lose or intimidate them but inspires them, and it has to be said that the VR technology goes a long way in helping achieve this. So, is it the future of garden design? Tom thinks so: “It’s an incredible way to present and I can see it becoming more mainstream as the costs of the hardware and software come down over time.” With the last episode airing on 11 March, we hope to see many more inspiring gardens which demonstrate the skill and professionalism of this industry to its fullest. Catch up with ‘Your Garden Made Perfect’ on BBC iPlayer now.

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GRILLING IN STYLE

TOLE GARDEN FIRE

OUTDOOR COOKING ISN’T JUST FOR THE SUMMER, ANJI CONNELL EXPLORES AS SHE INTRODUCES US TO SOME HIGH-PERFORMANCE BBQ’S AS WELL AS A SOLAR POWERED PROTOTYPE WE MAY SEE MORE OF IN THE FUTURE

ining alfresco is always a little more fun, and BBQing has a way of transforming a regular meal into a social engagement. Plus, it gives you an excellent opportunity to spend time with your bubble. Spending time outdoors on long summer nights is always something to look forward to, and there is no reason that it can’t be a year-round pleasure. There are many excellent fires available to keep us warm and toasty throughout the year, as well as stylish covers to keep off the rain and calm any prevailing winds – the Tole Garden Fire, for example is a fire and a combination barbeque. The sleek new barbecues

OFFICINE GULLO BBQ100

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available today can transform a garden or patio into an outdoor kitchen, a fabulous new cooking and entertaining space. Perhaps one the best of the is the new Officine Gullo gas BBQ. Crafted in stainless steel it has a unique choice of finishes and available in three sizes; it’s a high-performance functional piece. In London’s beautiful Belgravia, a stately Georgian Villa has recently had a stunning Officine Gullo kitchen installed, resulting from a collaboration between Officine Gullo and the homeowner interior architect Alison Henry. Adjacent to Alison’s magnificent kitchen area, the garden space acts as a continuation of the living space with the addition of an Officine Gullo barbecue with the same finishes and colour as the main kitchen area.

ALISON HENRY’S BELGRAVIA HOME

Officine Gullo’s new barbecue line is for outdoor cooking enthusiasts who prefer to grill with the utmost convenience. Officine Gullo excels in professional quality cooking systems, and their exclusive design barbecue available in three models crafted from stainless steel and painted in a choice of colour from the extensive RAL range and in custom shades. There is also a selection of finishes for the brass detailing. Every BBQ can be uniquely personalised, and the three sizes available are 80 (BBQ80), 100 (BBQ100), and 140 (BBQ140) cm wide.

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All models have sturdy thick stainless-steel grills, non-stick surfaces, and an ignition system that guarantees safe and instant lighting. They all have a built-in ice tray, an integrated cutting board, and a drink holder built into shelving that also acts as a container for ice or foods for use during and after barbecuing. An infrared ceramic cooking top reaches a high-temperature cooking surface, and this intense heat source is similar to charcoal, which means meats brown rapidly, ensuring tender and succulent results.

The OG BBQ80 Barbecue has six highperformance 23 kW burners. The OG BBQ100 Barbecue has a 2,920 cm2 cooking area and eight high-performance 31 kW burners. The OG BBQ140 Barbecue has an impressive cooking surface measuring 3,543 cm2 and a total of nine high-performance burners at 39.2 kW. There are some simple pleasures in life, and the smell of burning wood and the warmth of an open fire come to mind. The Tole GARDEN FIRE K60 delivers style and functionality, and SIGMAFOCUS WALL BARBECUE BY FOCUS

SOLAR COOKING SUNPLACE: A SOLAR BARBEQUE BY LANZAVECCHIA + WAI

craftsmanship built to last and withstand all weathers. As Tole says: “The K60 is the ultimate social accessory”. It comes with an integral grill, a wok, a raclette for making delicious cheese dishes and a teppanyaki grill.

MULTI-PURPOSE BARBECUE BY NOORI

If a garden is short of space, that’s no problem. The French company Focus – founded by a sculptor – has a very cool wall-mounted model in matte black steel that folds up sleekly against the wall when not in use. Brazilian brand Noori aims to transport users to a time when: “cooking with fire was at the core of our rituals”, with its multipurpose barbecue, that is, a pizza oven and a fire pit. The fire produces intense heat without the smoke of a conventional fire. This feature wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of a product with an environmental focus. The Solar powered prototype outdoor eating set from Lanzavecchia + Wai uses the sun’s rays to make a sociable cooking and eating experience inspired by fondues, Chinese hot pots, and Korean barbecues. The duo has incorporated a lens to concentrate sunlight onto a grill place to cook the food. Although it’s a prototype at the moment, the designers hope it will encourage others to consider harnessing the sun as a cooking method envisioning a future scenario of zero-emission cooking.

ABOUT ANJI CONNELL Internationally recognised interior architect and landscape designer, Anji Connell, is a detail-obsessed Inchbald graduate, and has been collaborating with artisans and craftsmen to create bespoke and unique interiors for a discerning clientele since 1986. Anji is a stylist, feature writer and lover of all things art and design. TOLE GARDEN FIRE K60

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18/02/2021 11:24 09:03

INSPIRE

GREEN F I R E P I TS F

irepits. How could anyone claim that they could be a part of the Green future? These last few months have shown the nation how important it is to be outside in the fresh air as much as possible. This led many to turn to their gardens with the desire to extend their use to enable more time outdoors – and so, firepits and outdoor fireplaces have become de rigueur for many. So, for many a firepit is essential. But how can we ensure a firepit is as environmentally friendly as possible? First, it’s important to look at where the firepit has been manufactured. Has it travelled from North America or the Far East, or is it wholly UK-made? Transporting heavy items needlessly around the globe will be abhorred in the green future. Next, look at what materials are used in construction. It’s best to be

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C A N A F I R E P I T B E G R E E N ? U R B A N F I R E S A N SW E R S T H I S Q U E ST I O N FO R U S , W H I L ST E X P LO R I N G W H AT I T H A S D O N E TO B EC O M E M O R E S U STA I N A B L E I TS E L F

lightweight if you can, but in accordance with the need to be non-combustible and to have longevity in the UK climate. So, a lightweight construction, made locally, should bring greenness closer. Finally, take note of the fuel and the business model. All of Urban Fires’ gas firepits will operate on BioLPG. It’s renewable and it’s sustainable, made from a blend of waste, residues and sustainably sourced materials. It’s a great step in the green direction. BioLPG is chemically identical to LP cylinder gas and is compatible with all Urban Fires’ gas-fired products, but this gas has a greener twist – it has absolutely no compromise on performance, so it’s as energy efficient as natural gas or conventional LPG, whilst supporting us in achieving a greener tomorrow. Bioethanol is another renewable source of heat as it doesn’t depend on fossil fuels like coal or wood. It’s also the result of conversion of the sun’s energy into a usable energy. This type of fuel is made from materials such as corn, potato, or sugar, which means that – unlike other common sources of fireplace heating – it’s a resource that will not run out of the natural product used to create it; it also doesn’t cause damage to the environment during its production process. Another element Urban Fires has incorporated into its firepits is control by smartphone/tablet app or home automation. This gives for maximum control over energy use. Sustainability is now at the heart of every new product development Urban Fires makes. In the last two years, at Urban Fires, we have been able to dramatically reduce imports of appliances from overseas and now generally only supply such products that we have produced

ALL OF URBAN FIRES’ GAS FIREPITS WILL OPERATE ON BIOLPG. IT’S RENEWABLE AND IT’S SUSTAINABLE, MADE FROM A BLEND OF WASTE, RESIDUES AND SUSTAINABLY SOURCED MATERIALS here or are made for us in the UK. Some components are still made overseas but, where we can, we source these from Europe to reduce travelling distances. We have also minimised business travel – for example site visits – by the use of online digital information and digitised processes wherever possible. We have purchased a 100% electric car for any necessary site visits. We always try to procure sustainably sourced components and minimise packaging wherever possible, in line with our business needs. We have no additional heating in our business space, relying on our own products to do the work – and no air conditioning. We also use energy-efficient LED lighting. Clearly, it mustn’t stop there and we continually review new green developments to ascertain if we can usefully implement them. www.urbanfires.co.uk

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F E AT U R E GARDEN

THE ALNWICK GARDEN THE ALNWICK GARDEN IS 12 ACRES OF MEANDERING GARDENS BASED IN NORTHUMBERLAND, HOME TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST TAI-HAKU CHERRY ORCHARD, A 18M WATER FEATURE, AND A POISON GARDEN. WE SPEAK TO HEAD GARDENER TREVOR JONES ABOUT THESE AS WELL AS HOW THE GARDEN REMAINS A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME

he Alnwick Garden has all the features one might usually find in a typical large country garden – ornamental gardens stuffed full of herbaceous perennials, a rose garden popping with colour and scent, extensive lawns, and water features. But, where other gardens may have the occasional fountain, Alnwick has The Grand Cascade standing 18m above the ground, comprising of 21 weirs, and 120 water jets; where other gardens may have a herb garden, Alnwick has a poison garden. There’s a reason gardens such as Alnwick often feature ornamental walled gardens and rose gardens, and a reason that they’ve stood the test of time – they’re undeniably beautiful, and Alnwick’s are no different. Alnwick’s ornamental walled garden sits above the Grand Cascade, “It’s one of my favourite areas in the garden,” head gardener Trevor tells us, “one of my favourite plants is also in this area, and it is in fact a bulb – the

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Cardiocrinum giganteum or giant Himalayan lily. It’s dramatic and stunning.” Producing plenty of foliage in the first five to seven years, the plant then produces a flower spike which grows to 15ft. Its huge lily-like flowers permeate their aroma throughout the north border and are joined in the garden by a plethora of herbaceous perennials and pleached crab apples. To create their shape, when planted, the trained trees were placed in a square and clipped formally. Alnwick was actually the first in the UK to pleach crap apple trees in this way. These too make for a dramatic scene as the seasons change – blossoming bright white in spring and producing vibrant orange and red crab apples in autumn. Elsewhere in the rose garden, plants are selected for their multi-petaled flowers and their perfume. Alnwick’s collection of 300 roses is one of the largest collections of David Austen roses 1 The Serpent Garden'sTaxus baccata hedges 2 The Fox Urn, a focal point in The Rose Garden

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and within the ranks is Alnwick’s very own – The Alnwick Rose. Unveiled at Chelsea Flower Show 2001, the rose was selected by the Alnwick Garden’s creator, the Duchess of Northumberland: “It’s a pink rose with multipetal heads and a beautiful perfume, which repeat flowers. It smells like fresh raspberries to me,” explains Trevor. The majority of the other roses are from of the Floribundas variety, created by crossing Hybrid Teas with Polyantha Roses. These are known for being hardy, disease resistant, and for creating a mass of colour and flowers. One of Alnwick’s biggest and most unusual attractions though, is its Poison Garden. Within the black iron gates of this garden lives a collection of 100 poisonous plants which have the ability to kill in one way or another. While travelling in Europe, the Duchess was struck with inspiration when she visited a garden previously owned by the Medici family – an Italian banking family and political dynasty – who had its own poison garden and poisoner, used at will on anyone who displeased the family.

The gates to this garden are locked at all times, with guided tours the only way to see what lies behind them. Here, visitors are introduced to a plethora of deadly plants. Most of these would have been used in medieval times, but there is an exception in Aconitum – or wolf’s-bane. “Our Poison Garden is the only one in the UK with any significance, with 100 interesting and deadly plants,” explains Trevor, “but we also use it as an educational tool for adults and children.” Indeed, Aconitum is a common cottage garden plant, the whole of which is poisonous. Similarly, Alnwick grows a Atropa belladonna tree – or deadly nightshade – which can be found easily in the countryside producing grape-like berries which can be inviting to a child, but four such berries can cause death. What Alnwick really wants to educate children about though, is drugs. With a license to grow cannabis plants, the garden teaches the effects of drugs – sometimes even getting actors posing as drug abusers involved to really drive home the lesson.

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The Poison Garden isn’t the only standout in the gardens. Like an opening act, the informal lawns covered in a carpet of the tiny bright blue flowers of Chionodoxa lead visitors to the largest

OUR POISON GARDEN IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE UK WITH ANY SIGNIFICANCE, WITH 100 INTERESTING AND DEADLY PLANTS collection of Japanese ‘Taihaku’ Cherry trees in the world. Comprising of 329 trees, the blossoms burst into life at the end of April, beginning of May and when the flowers fall, they’re still a spectacle, littering the ground, making it look like snow. Even in autumn, when the cherry leaves turn shades of orange, red, and yellow, it’s a showstopper. “Each spring we have a dedication ceremony for the sponsors of the cherry trees,” explains Trevor. “there’s entertainment, food and drinks followed by a precession up the Grand Cascade. Eventually we congregate at the garden’s pond and float lanterns over the surface. It’s a very emotional event for some people.” Beauty is wonderful to see in a garden, but it’s this engagement with the community which was one of the Duchess’ biggest goals when creating Alnwick. Education doesn’t stop at the poison garden. The roots and shoots garden plays host to the majority of the community engagement. “We do an awful lot with children, teaching them how to grow their own food, and about healthy food in general,” explains Trevor. It’s not just about gardening and healthy lifestyle skills, though: “Some of them have no idea where carrots come from, others are being bullied and have low self-esteem, others are from pretty poor backgrounds,” explains Trevor. As well as its education and ceremonies, one of the garden’s charitable aims is to alleviate loneliness and isolation in Northumberland and the North East. Events for the older generation who may be suspectable to this include tea dances, toenail clipping, singing for the brain, a walking group and a gentleman’s garden club. “It’s very much a garden for everybody,” says Trevor. The garden isn’t just for people, either, “as a head gardener, I am constantly thinking about ways in which we can be more biodiverse and sustainable and encourage wildlife,” explains Trevor. The garden is home to a huge bird population, hedgehogs, deer, badgers and foxes. What’s more, as well as endeavouring to buy

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peat free, the garden’s pavilion collects rain water which is stored beneath the building and reused as grey water for the lavatory. The water travelling down the Grand Cascade isn’t wasted either, cleaned and recycled so none is lost. With so much happening within the garden, it’s no surprise that its maintenance is highly intensive. The team is made up of 12 gardeners and with no access for tractors or trailers, there’s a lot to get through. “It takes four weeks to do the hedges within the garden,” explains Trevor, “let alone the hedges surrounding the car park.” There's a huge bank of beech hedging either side of the Cascade, of which the team have to physically enter in order to trim because they’re so wide. Scaffolding is required to trim back the hornbeam arbours which are trained onto frames either side of The Grand Cascade. “We have a collection of 62,000 plants – including the largest collection of European plants in the UK – which all need lots of work doing to keep them in good shape.”

AS A HEAD GARDENER, I AM CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN BE MORE BIODIVERSE AND SUSTAINABLE AND ENCOURAGE WILDLIFE With so many breathtaking features, you could be fooled into thinking the garden was complete. In fact, having only begun work on the site in 2003, the Duchess is far from finished. In fact, everything in front of the Grand Cascade still needs to be landscaped. Within this space, the team plan to create a spiral garden, made by planting trees in a spiral form with a water feature centred in the middle. At the exit of this spiral creation a garden for the senses will entice in visitors. Elsewhere, outside the events room, a garden will be developed to add interest. No doubt through all of these changes, the environment will continue to be Alnwick’s centrepiece as its inspiration and motivation.

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Gates to the Poison Garden Designed by Jacques Wirtz, The Grand Cascade The Hovel at The Poison Garden entrance The Ornamental Garden The Cherry Orchard, the largest of its kind in the world, is home to 329 'Tai-haku' cherry trees 8 Standing at 18m above the ground, The Treehouse Restaurant is the largest in the world 9 Bearded Iris 10 The Grand Cascade in all its glory

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I S HORTICU LTURE

ON THE GOVERNMENT’S AGENDA? NICK COSLETT DELVES INTO WHAT THE GOVERNMENT’S 25-YEAR ENVIRONMENT PLAN MEANS FOR UK HORTICULTURE

’ve been reading the 150-page document initiated by Michael Gove when he was Secretary of State for Environment & Rural Affairs in 2018. Whatever your views (I won’t mention education) about him, he was perhaps one of our more intelligent and better ministers. There have been eight ministers over the last 10 years – no wonder the lack of direction and leadership. The plan is full of ‘we will’s and clearly paints the way forward but not much about ‘how we will’. In its basic form, it has a number of key goals: Clean air Air pollution causes some 40,000 accelerated deaths each year and contributes to age-related macular degeneration. The main causes of pollution are transport and burning of fossil fuels and is at its worst levels in the urban environment. All London boroughs exceed the WHO limits for PM2.5 – a major particulate pollutant. The move to ban new fossil-fuelled vehicles will start to reduce this. The opportunities for UK horticulture will be in planting trees and hedges in urban areas to trap and filter air pollution particles – good for nurseries and planting contractors. Clean and plentiful water Returning water bodies and rivers to their natural states, reducing abstraction where threatening capacity, reducing water leakage in water supply. It’s said we use too much drinking water and need to reduce by some 30L a day for each household. Most of our rainfall goes out to sea, so more reservoirs will be planned and a national water ring main has been proposed before to distribute water from areas with plenty to the drier parts of the UK. The opportunities for UK horticulture are to design and install summer drought offsetting systems, so rainfall harvesting and storage for non-potable water uses.

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Thriving plants and wildlife Securing wildlife value for the long term, creating or restoring 500,000ha of wildlife rich habitat. Not sure what this means; is it putting some of our land back to its truly natural state? Rewilding? More tree planting to increase woodland cover to 12% by 2060. Maintain biosecurity. Opportunities for UK horticulture include: selecting growing and planting species suitable for climate future; ash dieback monitoring, clearance and replacement work for arborists; establishing a widespread awareness of biodiversity benefits and available positive actions; and planning requirements requiring biodiversity net gains for developments – so good for landscape designers and ecologists. Reduce risk and environmental harm Reduce flooding and drought so improved rainfall attenuation in river catchments, SuDS in urban areas, winter crop cover and more diverse crops and cultivations, reductions in bare soil exposure for agriculture. New housing to be resilient and climate change adapted (some housing in London has become uninhabitable in hot summer periods). River remodelling, tree planting and even re-introduction of beavers. Opportunities for UK horticulture – as already stated, but probably more significant for agriculture.

Resource use Maximise value and benefit from our natural resources, and improve health and wellbeing. So, more green infrastructure, especially in urban areas, and reduce pollutants especially chemical contaminants. Mental health prescribing exposure to green space, recognition and investment in valuing outdoor recreation. This is good for UK horticulture and the underinvested green space sector; lots more repair, reuse, repurpose, recycle. reduce waste from construction and limit off site materials. There is work for the professional landscape designers and ecologists, but all landscapers can reduce waste and be proactive. Don’t expect much/any money from government policies and initiatives. However, awareness can make you add value for and guide your clients to ensure your schemes are fit for the future.

ABOUT NICK COSLETT Nick is now retired but has worked in landscape offices, parks management and horticultural nurseries. For the past 20 years, he has also run soft landscape workshops at Coblands and Palmstead. He has been involved in BALI at a regional and national level, and is a trustee of the BALI Chalk Fund, as well as an awards judge.

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18/02/2021 12:48

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NURTURE

CA PT U R I N G CARBON

IN THE FIRST OF A SERIES, KEITH SACRE EXPLAINS HOW THE NEWLY DEVELOPED ENVIRONMENTAL CREDIT RATING WORKS

here is much in the scientific literature, arboricultural and other tree related journals and magazines, the general gardening press as well as, inevitably, social media about the environmental benefits of trees, particularly in the urban environment. It is relatively easy to write and speak of rainwater interception, pollution amelioration, carbon storage and sequestration, shade provision, human health and wellbeing as there is much information in the public domain already. This information is being added to on an almost daily basis. The work of Treeconomics and partners using i-tree and other tools to evaluate and quantify the benefits provided by trees is also well known, with their work on behalf of many local authorities and others published and in general circulation. There has always been a gap, though; information about what can be expected by specifiers, landscape architects, landowners, local authorities and members of the public of a tree species when sourced from the nursery and planted in the environment has been limited.

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A groundbreaking piece of work carried out by Barcham Trees and Treeconomics has now gone some way to filling this gap. Focusing on carbon storage, an ‘Environmental Credit Rating’ system has been developed. Each species in the Barcham catalogue has been evaluated using i-tree and the scientific literature to produce a comprehensive guide as to how much carbon that species will capture during its lifetime. Trees have been evaluated and graded from A to E in terms of their carbon capture potential. Using an estimation of the DBH of a tree species at various stages in its life cycle

FOCUSING ON CARBON STORAGE, AN ‘ENVIRONMENTAL CREDIT RATING’ SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED it has been possible to graphically represent its carbon capture potential at various stages of its lifecycle up until the end of its life expectancy. This has been set at 300 years and is therefore a conservative estimation of the carbon capture potential of many species which live beyond this time-period. An allowance has been made in the calculations for the carbon used during production and delivery, enabling a breakeven point to be estimated. This is the point at which any species is making a positive contribution to carbon capture and storage. Each species will be represented by an individual tree tag clearly indicating the carbon credit grade of the species and a graphic representation of the carbon capture potential of that species as it grows and develops in the landscape. Barcham Trees managing director Mike Glover commented: “All trees contribute but some live longer and attain great sizes. The bigger the tree the more carbon is locked up. Rates of carbon sequestration can differ per species over their lifetime so this has all been

fed into the model so that the best environmental option can be chosen to suit what space allows.” It is also hoped that by providing information, some of the absurdities in terms of species choice and size can be avoided. For example, the specification of a 40cm girth cherry tree for immediate effect must be questioned. Already at least a third of the way through its useful life expectancy when delivered and planted, future carbon capture is limited and the carbon footprint of production and movement from nursery to planting site huge with breakeven point extended. To use one of Mike Glover’s many analogies, “it’s like investing in an athlete who is over 40 years of age with a view that a successful Olympian might be produced”. For further details about the Barcham Environmental Credit Rating, contact me at keith@barchamtrees.co.uk. For further details of i-tree and the reports currently completed in the UK, please contact Kenton Rogers of Treeconomics at kenton@treeconomics.co.uk or visit the website: www.treeconomics.co.uk.

ABOUT KEITH SACRE Keith has more than 20 years’ experience in local government as nursery, parks and operations manager. He is currently arboricultural and urban forest director at Barcham Trees – the largest container tree nursery in Europe – immediate past chair of the Arboricultural Association and trustee of the Trees and Design Action Group. Keith is a member of the Chartered Institute of Foresters and a chartered arborist. He has an MSc Arb, BSc in Social Science and BSc Arboriculture.

www.barcham.co.uk

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THE FIRST POST-BREXIT UK SHIPMENT ARRIVES AT MAJESTIC TREES

NURTURE

hange is always difficult, more so for some of us than others. Throw into that the passions of years of debate on the EU referendum, and then the hourly dose of 24/7 Brexit media coverage, in tangent with total uncertainty over a trade deal or new deal, and you have a real headache. Then along comes COVID-19, which tore our worlds apart, and suddenly even the most resourceful of us struggle to survive, let alone thrive! But quite miraculously, our potential customers were forced to stay home last spring, and whilst we as business owners worried as to how we would survive with the resultant catastrophic drop in sales, people spent days outside in the warm sunshine wishing they had a nice BBQ, hot tub, tree or two or shrubs planted. Sadly, many landscapers were not working either, and neither could homeowners go to the garden centre or nurseries as we were forced to shut. But come late May we reopened, and suddenly we were swamped with new orders from new customers who wanted to make their new dreams reality. Our sales soared as we planted more trees and plant material, whilst UK nurseries couldn’t believe our luck as a new tidal wave of sales made up for most if not all of the spring losses. Bar the poor bedding plant growers, some who will never recover, most nurseries have been very blessed with six months of great sales; but with the threat of no trade deal, many of us went into the market early to replenish our nurseries with new stock to grow on or trade. However, on the continent, the same thing was happening; but unlike us, nurseries and garden centres remained open last spring and summer. As a result, their spring impulse sales were outstanding, and after many years since the 2008 financial crisis of nurseries going bust or many simply cutting back production due to poor sales and low prices, they suddenly found demand by far outstripping supply. So, come early autumn many UK nurseries started buying stock earlier than normal, trying

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BLAMING

BREXIT

to beat the competition and importing their purchases before Christmas because of the uncertainty, which resulted in shortages of many plants and trees. In fact, many EU nurseries sold their 2021/22 season’s planned production before Christmas, so if you were not a good regular customer, many EU nurseries chose who they sold to by which customers were easiest to sell to, took a wide range of stock and paid them quickly.

THERE WILL BE DELAYS, BUT BIOSECURITY WILL IMPROVE, WHICH CAN ONLY BE GOOD FOR THE UK AND OUR NATURAL LANDSCAPE! I went buying tree stock in September and October whilst we could still travel in parts of Europe, selecting and placing orders, almost all of which we committed to taking before Christmas. In fact, I paid for almost all the stock before Christmas, which made them very happy. Unfortunately, as nurseries on the continent sold out, many found that they did not have enough stock to satisfy demand for this season, so available in demand stock prices soared – in some cases double 12 months ago – but very little of that is due to Brexit. In fact, the nurseries I buy from tell me that they are now getting

FROM CHAOS AT THE PORTS TO PRICES GOING THROUGH THE ROOF, BREXIT IS BEING LINKED TO A HUGE IMPACT ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN – BUT IS IT REALLY ALL DOWN TO THE UK’S EXIT FROM THE EU? A SCEPTICAL STEVE MCCURDY EXPLORES

higher prices on the continent because those in the market are desperate to buy what is left. Quite simply, it's capitalism. The more in demand you or your product is, the higher the price it can command. Furthermore, if an EU nursery has a customer down the street, who takes a wide assortment of what they grow, buys from them every year and always pays them on time, they will sell to them first. Absolutely, if you add in regulations, paperwork, customs, an agent plus phytosanitary certificates, jaded by COVID-19 regulations and working practices, they may decide that some UK customers are not worth the hassle, especially if the nursery hasn’t had a chance to read 272 pages of biosecurity regulations and figure out the paperwork yet. In the past we've been spoilt; so, in future, plan ahead as the supply chain will take longer, buying trees and plant material when you first get the job to ensure availability when you need it. Undoubtedly, with a few teething problems along the way there will be delays, but biosecurity will improve, which can only be good for the UK and our natural landscape!

A B O U T ST E V E M C C U R DY Steve is managing director of Majestic Trees, which he formed almost 20 years ago. He, often with another team member, spends weeks walking the fields of nurseries all over Europe, tagging tree stock he buys to grow on. Last season, he made 12 trips in his search to ensure the best quality and the UK’s highest biosecurity at Majestic Trees.

www.majestictrees.co.uk

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17/02/2021 19:54

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18/02/2021 11:29

NURTURE

he 2019 General Election seems like a lifetime ago now; but thinking back, I remember how pleased I was to see the environment as a big part of the social agenda for all parties, leading elements of manifesto pledges. One pledge in particular was the confident tree planting targets being committed to by each party. I won’t get into the likelihood of any party realising these ambitions, but I have been thinking about the value of tree planting targets and how realistic they are in terms of truly helping the environment. Firstly, we need to establish the value of trees. An odd concept in itself and I’m not suggesting it in terms of questioning their contribution, but instead, I want to look at the specifics of what they offer. There are really only a few reasons to plant trees other than their aesthetic, culinary value and wildlife habitat creation potential. They help filter our environment of atmospheric and even soil pollutants. They bind soils to prevent landslides and erosion. They help drain soils, reducing flood risks in lowland plains. They have value and use in timber production as part of managed, sustainable plantings. Most people would now argue that their other main value environmentally is to produce oxygen having absorbed carbon dioxide.

TO PLANT TREES IN GREAT NUMBERS IS ADMIRABLE, BUT VALUELESS WITHOUT A STRATEGY. WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT STRATEGY IS OF VALUE AND NOT JUST A WELLMEANING, BUT USELESS IDEA They do this, but so do many other plants and grassland does this in greater concentration than trees by surface area, as most of their foliage is of a consistent height, so better able to photosynthesise more evenly than trees. While trees are often called the ‘lungs of the earth’ and they do make a major impact, it is estimated that tiny phytoplankton across the world’s oceans produce up to 80% of the oxygen we breathe and get little to no credit for their contribution.

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TREE PLANTING TO SAVE THE WORLD TREE PLANTING TARGETS ARE ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A STRONGER STRATEGY AROUND THEM, SAYS LEWIS NORMAND

With this in mind, we need to think less exclusively about the need to plant trees and more the need to green our environment. Selling the idea of planting trees is probably easier as it can be related exclusively to numbers. Planting ‘10 million trees a year’ sounds much better and is far easier for the layperson to get to grips with than a more ambiguous, ‘plant 5000 acres of mixed planting a year’ or similar. There is, of course, great value in planting trees for the reasons mentioned earlier, but we must also think about which trees and where to plant. There is no value in thinking of now, but of what we will need in the future and which species will suit our changing climate over the next 50 to 100 years. Also, we need to think about what we are trying to achieve. In short, we need a plan. To plant trees in great numbers is admirable, but valueless without a strategy. We need to be sure that the government strategy is of value and not just a well-meaning, but useless idea. Finally, I have been considering carbon offset and I recently used an online calculator to estimate my annual carbon output, as well as looking at suggested number of trees to achieve carbon neutrality. Currently, the UK needs to plant in the region of 1.5 billion trees to achieve

carbon neutrality according to the Climate Change Committee. It doesn’t take a genius to see that we can’t physically do this within the UK itself due to space restrictions, so we need to commit to working internationally on this. Broadly speaking, with a population of 70 million people, it means that each of us needs roughly 21 to 23 trees planted to make a difference to current levels of carbon production. We are way short of space and planting targets to even get near this. Lip service is one thing, but we should all be looking to find opportunities to green any small space we can in order to help. Every blade of grass will make a difference and trees are just a part of the bigger picture.

ABOUT LEWIS NORMAND Lewis has worked in a wide variety of roles within horticulture over a 20-year career. He has lectured on garden design and horticulture, and designed gardens in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. Since 2011, Lewis has focused on nursery sales, now working as sales manager at Bernhard’s Nurseries, and has helped to launch a number of new plants into the UK plant market. He is a specialist supplier to show gardens, supplying more than 100 gardens at major shows.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 12:13

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18/02/2021 11:30

NURTURE

NOEL KINGSBURY PONDERS, ARE SMALLER PLANTS AND DEEPER POTS THE NEW RECIPE FOR PLANTING SUCCESS?

have written before of the importance of plant size when planting up projects, in particular of the many disadvantages of the practice of using large size plants that developed during the 80s and 90s, often driven by impatient clients who wanted an instant garden or nearly-instant landscape. Here, I would like to emphasise that ‘small is beautiful’ and certainly more sustainable, for almost all plants we might choose to use. The huge increase in herbaceous perennial production and use in landscapes since the 90s has taken different forms in different national markets. The British, Americans and French have tended to go for larger plants, a two litre being almost standard in Britain. Dutch and German practitioners favour the markedly smaller P9. This does make plants cheaper, and given the considerably smaller volume (a P9 is 20% of a two litre container) the quantity of resources needed for potting and for transport is clearly vastly less. Smaller plants nearly always tend to establish more quickly in any case, and where water availability is the case, especially so. The ratio of compost volume (or another way of looking at it, the volume of the root mass) to compost/root interface with the soil into which the plant is going becomes progressively more disadvantageous the larger the plant. A small plant will not only be able to access more moisture from its new soil or substrate owing to a larger root/soil interface but will also get its own roots into contact with its new home more quickly – so, far less irrigation will be needed to help them establish. One of the biggest problems faced by new plantings is weed competition. Even with careful soil selection, wind-blown seed can always be

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S M A L L ER TH E B E T TE R ? a problem. The quicker that we can develop a dense canopy of our desired plants the better. All the evidence points to high initial plant density from the start – for perennials this often means nine plants per square metre, which can be prohibitively expensive with plants in two-litre pots, as well as taking longer to plant.

SMALLER PLANTS ALLOW FOR MORE SOPHISTICATED PLANTING STRATEGIES. SYSTEMS THAT RELY ON INTERMINGLING SET MIXES OF PLANTS CAN ACHIEVE THIS A LOT MORE EASILY WITH SMALLER CONTAINERS Smaller plants allow for more sophisticated planting strategies. Systems that rely on intermingling set mixes of plants can achieve this a lot more easily with smaller containers, a point emphasised to me recently by talking to a contractor who is working on the implementation of a Piet Oudolf planting in a garden near London – “you simply couldn’t do what he wants to do with larger plant sizes.”

Some US growers are going one stage further and using ‘landscape plugs’ especially for native plantings, which often involve an intermingled diversity of species. These are around 4cm across and up to 20cm long. They are quick to plant, often using a dibber rather than a trowel or spade. Some versions of the containers are rigid enough to be able to reuse them for the next crop of young plants – another sustainability plus. The depth-tosurface ratio is good for sending young roots in the direction they need to go in – downwards. The deep pot model is increasingly being adopted by Mediterranean producers. The internal sides of the pots are often also shaped to direct roots down and discourage circling horizontal growth. My own experience with these, generally in the 1.5 to 2.0L size, is very good. I now garden in central Portugal where summers are typically dry for three months at least; some new plantings made last winter I did not water at all, and everything survived. One benefit of tightening budgets may be a pull-back from extravagent plant sizes and a focus on benefits of small pots and deep root systems. There could be many benefits.

ABOUT NOEL KINGSBURY Noel Kingsbury is a freelance designer, writer and researcher who has long promoted naturalistic planting design. He also teaches at Boston Architectural College.

www.noelkingsbury.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

17/02/2021 15:45

NURTURE

y daughter Emily is just starting out as a wildlife ecologist. A central part of her role is to design, create and protect habitats that will be of benefit to selected species; habitats where species (currently water voles!) can thrive and not just survive. This leads me to the inevitable question: are we designing places and spaces fit for our species, for human beings? Urban design is often so driven by the twin factors of function and a relentless compulsion to minimise cost that it ignores or only pays lip service to our wellbeing, our welfare and our need, as a species, for restorative environments. It is no wonder that so much of our built environment is characterless, sterile and leaves us feeling exhausted! We have an extraordinary post-pandemic opportunity to rethink this. To create spaces and places of real and measurable value that are truly designed for people – and this is where biophilic design comes in.

THE BEST WAY TO ENCOURAGE A RETURN TO THE OFFICE (WHEN WE FINALLY CAN) IS TO DESIGN SPACES THAT PEOPLE WILL WANT TO BE IN Biophilia is the innate and genetically determined affinity of human beings with the natural world. Biophilic design allows us to tap into this affinity to make the places we design better places. It is a fairly new phrase that describes a connection and practice that stretches back to the dawn of civilisation – think Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Biophilic design principles can (and should) be applied at every scale from a home office to whole cities. Essentially, biophilic design allows us to reconnect people with nature; whether this is with direct experiences (plants, water, views of nature, etc), indirect experiences (natural materials, biomorphic shapes, etc) or natural forms (shelters, open spaces, etc), biophilic design offers significant benefits. The scientific evidence that confirms these benefits on our mental and physical health, our creativity and productivity and our sense of wellbeing is overwhelming. And the results from these studies are often staggering in terms of the

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B E N E F I TS O F

BIOPHILIA

B I OT EC T U R E ’ S R I C H A R D S A B I N E X P L A I N S H OW B I O P H I L I C D E S I G N I S C R E AT I N G U R B A N L A N D S C A P E S F I T FO R T H E F U T U R E scale of the increase in benefits measured when we start working with nature. In healthcare, education, retail and commercial settings biophilic design offers demonstrable returns on investment to clients and stakeholders. With biophilic design we get better faster, we learn more efficiently and we return to places that interest us more frequently. And the best way to encourage a return to the office (when we finally can) is to design spaces that people will want to be in. Offices that have good biophilic design elements will have people who work more creatively, have a higher sense of wellbeing and are absent less and overall, staff retention will be higher. Having a happier and healthier work force with reduced recruitment and training costs make this a no-brainer from a return-oninvestment point of view. The early adopters of biophilic design are a testament to this. At Biotecture, we are core partners of The Biophilic Office project. This long-term research project, in conjunction with the BRE and Oliver Heath Design, will provide further scientific evidence for the positive influence of biophilic

design and we are proud to be part of it. But we don’t need this further evidence to know that our fundamental health and wellbeing is inexorably linked to the natural world. Whilst we are focused on the future and all that technology, we cannot escape the fact that we are biological beings who are both deeply connected to and share an affinity with the natural world. Biophilic design allows us to design in tune with the core of who we are as people and as a species and, in turn, to create urban landscapes that are truly fit for the future.

ABOUT RICHARD SABIN Richard Sabin is the founder and managing director of Biotecture Ltd and Growing Revolution Ltd. He is a degree-qualified engineer with a background in sustainable construction and is a board member of The Biophilic Office project with BRE and Oliver Heath Design. Richard is passionate about transforming our urban landscapes and provides strategic advice on green infrastructure across the UK, Europe, USA and the Middle East.

www.biotecture.uk.com

CENTRICA OFFICE ATRIUM LIVING WALL, WINDSOR

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16/01/2020 16:57 18/02/2021 11:33

NURTURE

FO R P E AT ' S S A K E PE ATL ANDS ARE ONE OF THE E ARTH’S MOST VALUABLE ECOSYSTEMS, STORING ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF CARBON THAT OUT WEIGH THE WORLD’S FORESTS T WOFOLD. WE E XPLORE THE ISSUE SURROUNDING THE USE OF PE AT, AS WELL AS WHAT’S BEING DONE TO MAKE A CHANGE

ccurring in almost every country, covering 3% of the global land surface, peatlands are one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. In these bog-like wetlands, the process of plant decomposition is slowed due to waterlogged conditions. This happens to such an extent that dead plants accumulate to form peat, and over millennia this builds up and becomes several metres thick. It may not be obvious why peatlands are so important, but these landscapes store twice as much carbon as all of the world’s forests. In fact, a healthy peatland can continuously accumulate carbon at a rate of 0.37 gigatons a year – according to International Union for

Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – making it the largest and most efficient carbon store on earth. In the UK alone, covering an estimated three million hectares, deep peat provides a store of at least 3,000 million tonnes of carbon – twenty times as much carbon stored in the whole of the UK’s forest biomass, according to IUCN.

IN THE UK ALONE, COVERING AN ESTIMATED THREE MILLION HECTARES, DEEP PEAT PROVIDES A STORE OF AT LEAST 3,000 MILLION TONNES OF CARBON This isn’t the only benefit they provide, either. They also support many at risk species, act as historical ‘archives’, and hold an important role in regulating the quality of drinking water and alleviating the risk of flooding. So, what’s the problem then? While peatlands sequester carbon effectively, if they’re not healthy it’s a very different story. Peatlands

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occupy an estimated 12% of UK land area, but only a quarter of this is in a healthy near-natural condition. Currently, according to IUCN, ten million tonnes of carbon dioxide are being lost to the atmosphere from the UK’s damaged peatlands. But what exactly is it that’s damaging them? Severe degradation has been down to: “grazing livestock with high stock densities, drainage from forestry and agriculture, burning moorlands for grouse shooting, and peat extraction for horticulture use,” explains The Climate Change Committee’s (The CCC) senior analyst Indra Thillainathan. Indeed, the threat to peatlands is one which horticulture has had a hand in as peat has

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been used as growing medium for decades. Indra states that: “Extraction sites, mainly for horticultural use, accounts for around 5% of UK peatland area and 5% of UK peat GHG emissions.” Though this may not sound like much, landscape designer, conservationist and writer Jack Wallington believes change still needs to happen: “It is still significant in its own right, accelerating habitat loss in a world with less than 23.2% of land left as wild habitat.” When peat is mixed into compost it holds water well, and when dry it is extremely light, making it cheap to transport. But this comes at too high a cost. So, what are the alternatives to peat based growing mediums, and how effective are these? Alternatives include homemade compost, green waste from local authorities, a number of components used in mixes including composted bark and wood chippings as waste materials, sheep’s wool, bracken, well-rotted manure and coir. Comments about the use of peat aren’t always well received. Monty Don recently came up against criticism from some nurseries after he commented that if they stock plants grown in peat, they are actively choosing to do harm – with some even planning to boycott Gardeners’ World. “It was petty and showed that they completely missed the point,” Monty Don tells us. “This is not a binary issue. There are no sides to take. Like climate change, we all have to work together to solve this problem. Garden centres and the trade in general have to take a proactive role and own the problem – just as consumers and gardeners do.”

PEATLAND LANDSCAPE IN FORSINARD, SCOTLAND

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It has to be said, though, that this was a small number, and that a significant number of nurseries see the issue and are willing to make the necessary changes. Bernhard’s Nurseries made the switch to 100% peat-free compost in all of its own production in 2013, using the Melcourt Sylvamix range of wood blended compost. Though there were some adjustments, general manager John Marsden sees them as positives: “We had to start watering more frequently, but for shorter periods. This has actually reduced our water

EXTRACTION SITES, MAINLY FOR HORTICULTURAL USE, ACCOUNTS FOR AROUND 5% OF UK PEATLAND AREA AND 5% OF UK PEAT GHG EMISSIONS INDRA THILLAINATHAN, SENIOR ANALYST, THE CLIMATE CHANGE COMMITTEE

usage by around 12% per annum. In some cases when we know we will be potting hungrier plants, that may be in the pot longer, we may ask for a slightly higher amount of controlled release fertiliser to be added to the blend. However, I do not see this a real issue of leaching nutrients, rather a bi product of them growing away so well.” The Beth Chatto Garden has been peat free for three full seasons, including its production

of 200,000 plants. “Three years ago, we decided to do a large-scale trial to see if it was possible. That gave us the confidence to switch, which had the added benefit of opening up the National Trust market to us,” David Ward, garden and nursery director explains. As with others, David found watering needs changed, but by adding a wetting agent this was overcome. Propagating is still an issue though. Not for lack of trying, the garden has yet to find a peat-free mix that allows the plants to root as quickly. Wyevale Nurseries recently installed a commercial trial of peat-free stock: “To replace the peat, we are using wood fibre from managed forest plantations,” explains Steve Reed, production director container division at Wyevale. “The main factors with using alternatives to peat are managing the water and nutritional use. More frequent applications of water are needed, but less water is applied each time.” For Wyevale, as part of a green industry, the use of peat is detrimental and contradictory to its values. The National Trust has been peat free for 30 years, using a variety of peat-free growing media, but it also acknowledges that there are challenges with alternatives: “Some of the alternative materials have their own potential environmental impacts,” explains Simon Tooner, the National Trust’s National Plant Conservation Specialist. “Coir, for example, has to be transported from south Asia and requires large volumes of water in its preparation.” As well as this, the National Trust warns that quality can vary more when it comes to peat-free composts, with cheap options sometimes lowering the reputation for all. But these are small compromises, and National Trust still urges everyone to make the switch, “We can’t go on using non-renewable and unsustainable peat,” explains Simon. Jack though, doesn’t agree with complaints about peat-free compost: “A number of established nurseries use only alternatives and countries such as Japan and Australia, which have no peatlands, have only ever used them. Some people put forward the argument that peat is needed for specialist use, but enough professional growers have managed to grow these plants without peat to prove this incorrect.” Monty also dismisses complaints. “There are a number of completely effective alternatives. But the point is, even if all the available alternatives were less 'good' than peat, it would still not justify peat usage.” For garden designer Claire Vokins, nature is the real alternative: “I would ask if compost is even required on the scale which we currently

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NURTURE

PEATLANDS ARE IMPORTANT AS POOLS OF BIODIVERSITY AND AS CO 2 DEPOSITS

use it. How often have you walked through woods and seen teams of people adding bags of compost to the woodland floor? You don’t. Nature takes care of this with leaf drop, soil inhabitants and wildlife. If managed properly, aligned with nature, you’d never need to buy compost again.” Claire also believes that, instead of the professionals who are mostly already on board with going peat free, the problem stems from home gardeners who may not understand the severity of the situation. “Unfortunately, when sellers are still offering peated composts in prime marketing positions, over unpeated alternatives, the peated will still be used,” explains Claire. The RHS wants to change this. All five of its gardens are peat free – minus some specialty plants which they are currently researching alternatives for – and it isn’t quiet about this. As one of the largest member-led charities it knows it has a responsibility to educate. The RHS is continually advancing its offering of advice on peat-free growing media. At the beginning of 2020 it also stopped selling peat-based compost and is working with its suppliers to eradicate peat use in the plants it sells too. Provender Nurseries too is making changes. Responding to an enormous volume of customer requests, it recently added the Going Green range to its website, making it easy to identify products that are either organic, wildlife friendly, child and pet friendly or have natural ingredients. So, what’s next? Claire believes the responsibility lies with all of us, but she also feels the issue runs much deeper: “Nature provides its own food through a natural cycle. I believe we should be curating gardens that do

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the same so they don’t require extra layers of mulch and compost, peated or otherwise.” Coordinated by the HTA, a new taskforce will roadmap the removal of peat from growing media. James Barnes, HTA Chairman, says: “By working with representatives from the whole supply chain we will have an aligned industry approach to peat use for the first time. By the end of February, we will have a clear

GOVERNMENTS INEVITABLY MOVE SLOWLY AND CAUTIOUSLY, TRYING TO BALANCE LOTS OF VESTED INTERESTS. THE FACT THAT THEY ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IS TO BE APPLAUDED MO NTY DO N, BROADCASTE R AND WRITER

action plan, objectives across the board and timescales for when we can realistically expect results.” Key issues will focus on tackling obstacles that stand in the way of removing peat from professional growing media, encouraging consumers to adopt peat free, introducing a responsible sourcing scheme and improving quality and availability. This work will also help inform Defra’s forthcoming England Peat Strategy. Government have promised that the use

of peat will end in professional sectors by 2030. This has come up against criticism though. Indeed, its voluntary target to end the use of peat in the amateur sector by 2020 was completely missed, and the England Peat Strategy which was promised in 2018 has yet to be seen. For the Wildlife Trust, the Government’s effort thus far has been underwhelming: “This year, as the UK hosts the global climate conference, COP26, all eyes will be on the UK’s own action to tackle climate change. The Government’s failure to address this key issue will be a major embarrassment.” Though the government have said it will restore 35,000 hectares of England’s peatlands by 2025 but The CCC has said around 1,400,00 hectares of peatland across the UK need restoring by 2050. What’s more, the Government has pledged £50m towards peatland restoration, but this is miniscule in comparison to the £2bn figure that The CCC estimate. In addition, despite an overwhelming necessity, there’s still no peat ban in place. In response, environmental charities joined Monty Don to write an open letter to the government calling for a ban on peat production and sales by 2025. “I’m cautiously optimistic,” Monty tells us. “Governments inevitably move slowly and cautiously, trying to balance lots of vested interests. The fact that they are moving in the right direction is to be applauded.” The fight against climate change needs to be a ferocious one and it seems that it cannot be won without restoring our peatlands. The horticulture industry has played a role in the untold damage done, but it isn’t unaware of this and it’s making huge strides to undo it. Will you join the peat-free revolution?

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ressure on the urban environment is constantly increasing. In order to be able to respond to future needs we must adopt a more forward-thinking approach using smart green applications. As they have in the Dutch city of Rotterdam where Ebben Nurseries has done its part towards the city’s green ambitions, placing 67 multi-stem birches on the roof of the spectacular Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. At a height of nearly 40m, the multi-stem Betula pubescens adorn the roof garden of the new museum art storage

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facility, which recently won the prestigious Rooftop Award. Despite the ever-expanding need for multifunctional use of space, many city rooftops still remain unutilised. Architect firm MVRDV and MTD Landscape Architects are seeking to reverse this and give roofs a more prominent role too. Not only does this add to a greener environment, on a practical level too, it opens up more opportunities. A good example being the roof garden of the new Boijmans Van Beuningen art storage facility where employees

and visitors, enclosed by greenery, will soon be able to enjoy the fresh air and spectacular view of the city. Many a Rotterdam resident will be having to blink twice as they pass by the new collections building. It is the world’s first publicly accessible art storage facility with as many as 151,000 artefacts from the Netherlands and other European countries. At a height of almost 40m, the imposing storage facility acts as an enormous reflecting bowl. Passers-by get to experience the hustle and bustle of the city through reflective glass, whilst the trees on the roof ensure that the building is in harmony with its surroundings. There are many factors to consider when selecting suitable plants for a roof garden such as this; Rotterdam’s at times brisk (coastal) winds and the roof substrate to accommodate the trees are aspects which require serious consideration. “Commissioned by renowned architect Winy Maas of architect firm MVRDV, landscape architect and co-owner Frank Meijers of MTD Landscape Architects created a design for the roof garden of the storage facility. Frank approached us as a tree nursery to think along with them and advise on choice of species and implementation. They were looking for tall and, where possible, also native trees with white stems,” says green specialist Marko Mouwen from Ebben Nurseries. “Your best option in this

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case is the birch in its multi-stem form which gives a natural ambiance.” The innovative and ambitious roof garden features multi-stem birches for the greatest possible variety in appearance. Research is currently being done to find out whether it is possible to choose a smaller sized Austrian pine (Pinus nigra subsp. Nigra) as an addition for the roof garden, and thus provide an extra dimension to the woodland experience thanks to the fresh fragrance given off by the pine. In future, together the trees will create a swaying birch wood with strong evergreen elements. The underlying idea is also to achieve a stronger link between the top and bottom. At ground level, it is certain that we will be using the same trees on a larger scale and this will create a harmonious overall look – also when seen from above. “Broadly speaking, we have two naturally occurring species of birch,

namely Betula pubescens and Betula pendula,” explains Marko. “Whereas the latter thrives on poor sandy soils in particular, Betula pubescens

THE INNOVATIVE AND AMBITIOUS ROOF GARDEN FEATURES MULTI-STEM BIRCHES FOR THE GREATEST POSSIBLE VARIETY IN APPEARANCE is far better suited for a roof substrate. It is also far more wind tolerant.” The Austrian pine, also found on the Dutch Zeeland coast, where it endures the buffeting coastal wind, is being used for these same favourable characteristics.

A SPECTACULAR VIEW OF ROTTERDAM

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A MORE PROMINENT PLACE FOR GREEN

“Just what’s needed for growing on the nearly 40m-high Rotterdam roof.” Although the project is still under construction and phase one of the lower site is not scheduled until this planting season, Ebben Nurseries was approached back in 2016 with the specific trees request. The characteristic nursery-grown plants were

NOT ONLY DO WE SUPPLY TREES WHICH ARE SOMETIMES OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD BUT WE’RE ALSO KNOWN AS A TOTAL SUPPLIER OF EVERY OTHER CONCEIVABLE TYPE OF PLANTING MATERIAL

selected following various nursery visits because they were exactly what the architect had in mind. Since then, the birches have been gradually acclimatised at the nursery in the Netherlands for placement on the roof. Marko

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says: “The trees have been grown in a sandy soil and undercut several times over the course of the past few years in order to get a nice and compact root ball. This ensures a fine root

structure and well-developed roots, meaning the tree can be more firmly anchored on the roof substrate. Because the trees at the nursery were grown very widely spaced apart, the foliage has developed nicely on all sides of the plant. This is evident in the planting materials used. The trees have a really wonderfully green and full appearance.” All of the 67 multi-stem birches which were hoisted onto the roof in the spring have leafed out nicely. As it stands, the grower will therefore be supplying two species of trees in total in various sizes. “The designer had a clear impression, and it is our task to translate this into a green space. In doing so, we work with numerous contracting authorities. Not only do we supply trees which are sometimes over a hundred years old but we’re also known as a total supplier of every other conceivable type of planting material. We provide the correct planting advice – often using our TreeEbb* for this purpose – prepare the selected plants, we are involved in specific challenges on site and provide aftercare where required. In this case, this means we as a tree nursery are responsible for aftercare for

three years. This does not solely mean monitoring the irrigation system, but we also track when pruning and fertilisation is required and intervene in the event of any problems. In practice, certainly twice a month during the summer, it should be noted that we check out planted stock to see how things are doing and make any adjustments in a timely manner if necessary. In this way, we take care of everything for the customer.”

*TreeEbb is a comprehensive online tree search tool developed by Ebben Nurseries which can be used to compile the perfect range for every green project in just a few clicks. Based on filters, it is possible to search for locations, planting types, shapes and forms and any desired specific plant characteristics such as flowering period and flower colour, autumn colour and other details such as ecological valuable plants. TreeEbb contains a wide range of characteristic plant types with descriptions of species and photos to be able to provide as clear a picture as possible of the options available. Do you require any further information? Feel free to get in touch with us.

C O N TA C T Ebben Nurseries Tel: +31485319755 m.mouwen@ebben.nl www.ebben.co.uk

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NURTURE

N U R S E RY

FO C U S

AFTER PURCHASING ITS THIRD SITE, CREEPERS’ SALES MANAGER GARETH GILPIN SHARES HOW THE NURSERY WILL NOW BE PRODUCING ITS OWN PL ANTS AND HOW IT IS LOOKING TO DO THIS IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY

t’s been nearly a year since Gareth Gilpin joined Creepers Ltd as sales manager. Throughout this relatively short period of time, the nursery has had to overcome plenty of hurdles; but Creepers, which is still in its infancy, has proven itself to be remarkably resilient in the face on an ongoing pandemic. Not only did the nursery have its best trading year to date last year, but it has also just purchased a third site in the heart of the New Forest.

“We have doubled our nursery space from five to 10 acres, and the site we’ve acquired is an established propagation and growing nursery,” explains Gareth, when we spoke to him two weeks after the sale had been completed. “They grew all of their own plants from cuttings and seeds right up to 3L. Taking on this nursery is a really positive step towards being able to grow our own plants and offer more UK-grown plants to the market. We’re still sourcing a lot of specimen from overseas, but we can now do a lot more in-house; we can now say we’re growers as well as traders.” Prior to its acquisition, the nursery site was supplying a range of 2L and 3L hardy shrubs, climbers, perennials and grasses, with a focus on rare and unusual varieties. Its clients were

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predominantly in the retail market, and Creepers will be picking up some of this business too. From the purchase, it has inherited around 70,000 plants, and the team has already started to move ahead with its own production of 3L perennials, ready for spring sales.

TAKING ON THIS NURSERY IS A REALLY POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO GROW OUR OWN PLANTS AND OFFER MORE UK-GROWN PLANTS TO THE MARKET “There are lots of special varieties here that we know a lot of designers have been keen on for a very long time; to have a strong stock of them all means we can start growing to demand and having yearround availability and a wide range of exciting plants. A lot of the plants here will feed into our main site in Surrey, and we’ll also be sending a large volume of stock to our site in London.” Now that the nursery is looking to produce its own 3L plants, as well as grow on some of its larger stock for which it has become well known, Gareth says Creepers is now considering how to do this in a sustainable way. It will shortly be carrying out growing trials using a reduced peat potting compost, alongside a typical potting mix with a higher peat content, to compare the two

and see how the nursery can lower its peat usage. “It’s challenging, because we’re not from a growing background,” admits Gareth. “However, we are fortunate that we’ve been able to bring the existing experienced team with us. We want to be responsible industry leaders and try to make this as sustainable and ecologically responsible as soon as possible.” Creepers is also considering how it can reduce waste on the new site. “All the compost is currently being delivered in bags because we don’t have the machinery here, so we’re going to move to loose loads as soon as we can to cut out the plastic element. A lot of the plastic pots already get reused here because they don’t have the same phytosanitary restrictions as imported plants – propagating plants, potting them and using our own compost means we can reuse our pots again and again.” After only a fortnight on the site, it’s encouraging to hear that not only is Creepers preparing itself for sales of its first plants grown onsite, but also looking ahead to ensure its environmental impact is a positive one. Tel: 01932 821 626 www.creepersnursery.co.uk

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“We specialise in producing peat-free, high-quality compost, mulch and topsoil. When peat is harvested from peat bogs, it destroys fragile ecosystems that have taken millions of years to develop and releases carbon into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming. Rather than help fuel the demand for this precious natural commodity, all of our compost and mulch is made using locally-sourced, recycled green waste and plant materials. By recycling green waste to make compost, not only do we lower the demand for peat but help to reduce the quantity of waste being directed into landfills, resulting in a reduction of toxic gases released into the atmosphere.” www.woodhorngroup.co.uk

“Bark is one of the most popular and commonly used products for use on beds and borders and for good reason. It acts as a very effective weed suppressant whilst also providing a protective barrier to the plant roots against adverse changes in weather. It also softens the impact of rainwater, particularly during heavy storms, when it regulates the flow of the water to the underlying soil providing great moisture retention and improved soil fertility from the bark fines which are washed into the soil. In addition to these benefits, it helps to prevent soil erosion on windy and open sites whilst also providing a pleasing cosmetic finish. We are able to supply a complete range of barks and mulches, from economy Woodland Mulch, all-purpose Landscape Grade Ornamental to very high-end Pine barks.” www.buryhilltopsoilandlogs.co.uk

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I N S I D E E D U C AT E T H I S M O N T H PA G E 1 1 3 N I C K R U D D L E , PA G E 1 1 4 O R A C L E S O L I C I T O R S , PA G E 1 1 5 A L I S O N W A R N E R , PA G E 1 1 6 H E L E N TAY L O R , PA G E 1 1 9 A N G U S L I N D S AY, PA G E 1 2 0 E X C AVAT O R S , J M A C , PA G E 1 2 2 M AT E R I A L S : R E C Y C L E D P L A S T I C S , PA G E 1 2 4 T I G E R T U R F : S T E P P I N G U P W I T H T I G E R U P ! , PA G E 1 2 6 A R T I F I C I A L G R A S S A N D I T S I M PA C T, PA G E 1 2 9 C H A L L E N G E T H E I N D U S T R Y, PA G E 1 3 4 C O R E E D G E : H AV I N G T H E E D G E , PA G E 1 3 5 K E E P I N G U P W I T H K E B U R

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18/02/2021 17:08

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18/02/2021 11:37

EDUCATE

SACK YOUR CLIENTS AND MAKE MORE MONEY! N I C K R U D D L E E X P L A I N S W H Y G E T T I N G R I D O F C L I E N TS C A N AC T U A L LY M A K E YO U M O R E P R O F I TA B L E

know what you’re thinking: how could I sack my clients and make more money? Well, hopefully when you’ve finished reading this article it will make much more sense and get you thinking differently. I’m sure you’ve had some clients in the past that, with the benefit of hindsight, you would’ve

GET CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THE PROFILE OF YOUR PERFECT CLIENT – DEMOGRAPHIC, ATTITUDE, NET WORTH, PERSONALITY, VALUES, CHARACTER TRAITS, INTERESTS rather not had. You know the ones! They beat you down on price, take up all of your time, sometimes they’re rude, they don’t value your knowledge and getting paid can seem like a long, drawn out battle. Sound familiar? The solution is simple.

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Five questions will help you to minimise this in the future: • WHO is your ideal client? Get crystal clear on the profile of your perfect client – demographic, attitude, net worth, personality, values, character traits, interests, and so on. • WHERE can you find them in the highest concentration? Geographically, where do they hang out? What social circles do they mix in? What clubs might they be members of? Do they belong to a business group? • WHY should they choose your company? What makes you unique? What are your USPs? Are you multi-award winning? Do you have recognised qualifications? Do you belong to a respected governing body? Do you have bundles of five-star Google reviews? • WHAT is the product or service that is relevant and most desirable to your perfect client? Do they want technical expertise? Outdoor kitchens? Garden rooms? Swimming pools? Water features? • HOW are you going to communicate your message to them? Establish which marketing strategy is appropriate to generate the most leads? Do you have a referral system? Do you collaborate with strategic alliances to give you consistent high-quality leads? Does your website reflect your work with strong case studies?

These five questions should help you to experience less frustration of dealing with C or D grade clients and more enjoyment of working with more A and B grade clients who value your work. You need to set the criteria of what YOU describe as an A and B grade client and what traits a C or D grade client has. Once you have defined your criteria, you might want to go through all of your past clients and grade them A, B, C or D. This should help you decide to ‘sack’ the Cs and Ds in the future and put all of your efforts into gaining a great bunch of A and B grade customers! How much more profitable will your business be and what effect will it have on your stress levels? Please set some time aside to do this exercise for your business. The rewards will be incredible! Increased profits, less stress and more time to yourself. Please feel free to contact me at www.nickruddle.com if you’d like to set up a free discovery call.

ABOUT NICK RUDDLE Since 2007, Nick Ruddle has coached many landscape contractors, horticulturists, nurseries, garden centres and garden designers to success and works closely with the main industry associations, suppliers and leaders. With more than 5,000 hours of one-to-one coaching and delivering hundreds of workshops and seminars over the years, Nick can help implement specific strategies, methods, processes and systems that will produce exceptional results for your landscape business. www.nickruddle.com

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 113

18/02/2021 13:00

EDUCATE

ettlement agreements, formerly known as ‘compromise agreements’, are a special type of legally binding contract entered into between an employer and employee, shortly before termination of employment. Essentially, upon signing a settlement agreement, an employee waives their statutory (and other) rights to bring any potential claims before a court or tribunal, often in return for a settlement payment which may be more than they would be contractually entitled to. There are a range of situations where a settlement agreement might be desirable for the employer as well as an employee. They can be used as a way of resolving an ongoing dispute or a breakdown in relationship where a ‘clean

WHILE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS ARE NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR GOOD MANAGEMENT, THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS ONE OF MANY ‘TOOLS’ IN THE EMPLOYER’S TOOLKIT, TO BE USED WHEN APPROPRIATE break’ is needed. They will often be used in a voluntary redundancy situation; there is therefore no requirement for a disciplinary process or a breakdown in relations – such agreements are often the most appropriate way to tie up loose ends for both parties. As it is an agreement which is waiving statutory rights, it must adhere to a number of specific legal requirements to be valid: Firstly, it must be in writing. Secondly, it must refer to the specific legal claims that are to be waived and there is a wide range of potential claims that

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READY TO

SETTLE?

SOMETIMES, A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IS THE BEST OUTCOME. ILAN BRAHA AND JASON MCKENZIE OF ORACLE SOLICITORS EXPLAINS WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED TO PROTECT BOTH PARTIES

can be brought to an employment tribunal (or court) by an employee. The employer may be tempted to include a blanket ‘catch all’ clause attempting to cover all possible claims at once, but due to their unspecific nature, such clauses are at risk of being challenged later and do not comply with the legal requirement here. Thirdly, the employee must have received independent legal advice on the terms and effect of the proposed agreement on the employee’s ability to pursue any claims. The independent adviser is named in the agreement and must have the appropriate indemnity insurance. Finally, the agreement must state that the conditions regulating the settlements under relevant law have been satisfied. If any of these requirements are not met, the agreement will not legally protect the employer against most employment tribunal claims. The independent adviser is usually a qualified lawyer, such as a solicitor. There is a small group of alternative advisers that are legally acceptable; examples include certain barristers and trade union officials that have been certified to advise on such agreements. To ensure that independent advice is obtained, the employer will usually pay a fixed amount towards the employee’s legal costs. From the employer’s perspective, there are numerous provisions to include to protect the employer’s position. Examples

include: a statement from the employee that the claims covered by the agreement are the only ones they have; a requirement for the employee to indemnify the employer if the employee breaches the agreement or brings a claim and the employer suffers a loss as a result; a contractual promise from the employee not to make derogatory statements about the employer; obligations around keeping the terms and existence of the settlement agreement confidential. If the employer is worried about a departing employee setting up a rival company, for example, the agreement may restrict the employee’s ability to compete with the employer’s business for a period (such provisions are sometimes already included within the employee’s contract of employment). There are numerous provisions that can be included that may justify the use of a settlement agreement as an appropriate choice. In return, along with a financial payment (usually) an employer may also provide an agreed reference. While settlement agreements are not a replacement for good management, they should be considered as one of many ‘tools’ in the employer’s toolkit, to be used when appropriate.

A B O U T O R AC L E S O L I C I TO R S Oracle Solicitors is an award-winning law firm with a deep understanding of the landscape industry and expertise in employment, commercial, litigation, property and contract law. Oracle Solicitors, founded in 2002 has since grown to include offices in London, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, Frankfurt, and Addis Ababa – please visit:

www.oraclesolicitors.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 09:59

EDUCATE

THE UK’S FIRST VIRTUAL BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR THE TRADES HAS LAUNCHED. ALISON WARNER, THE TRADES COACH, TALKS ABOUT HER NEW ACADEMY AND WHY SPACES ARE FILLING FAST

e launched the Build and Grow Academy earlier this year exclusively for the trades and construction sector. It’s designed to be the go-to place for business owners, such as landscape architects or garden designers, to get the skills and knowledge to transform their business. The reaction so far has been really positive. Knowledge is power and the Academy offers a very affordable learning opportunity that really is a no brainer in this current climate. I am so excited that the Evolve and Grow team has created this Academy as part of its service to clients in the trades and construction industry.

Why the Academy is so important Having worked with the industry for many years, I am only too aware that there are few resources out there that provide hands on advice and support to businesses in this sector. The Build and Grow Academy fills that gap; giving people affordable ongoing support that they can tap into, from their phone, or computer, at any time of the day. Running a business can be lonely, and I see people struggling with similar problems time and time again – lack of organisation, lack of resource and lack of knowledge over the numbers. The Academy helps people overcome these challenges.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND THE ACADEMY OFFERS A VERY AFFORDABLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY How can I sign up? Applications for membership to the Academy are now open, with an introductory offer of just £97 + VAT a month (normally £147 + VAT). Anyone who would like to find out more can visit https://evolveandgrowcoaching.com/ build-grow-academy and sign up directly here https://www.buildandgrowacademy.com/

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LM EEA NAS ERA R NNI NIG NM OGR E

PROFIT FOR YOUR BUSINESS T H E S E V E N K E Y A R E A S F O R A P R O F I TA B L E B U S I N E S S The Academy provides seven business development courses that are essential for success VISION A vision gives you a sense of purpose and direction for your team and help defines your short and long-term goals. NUMBERS Knowing your numbers means you can price effectively, improve cash flow and create financial forecasts. CUSTOMER SERVICE/OPERATIONS By mapping out the customer journey and improving the experience from enquiry to completion of the job, bottlenecks can be identified and removed, ensuring a smooth efficient process. PEOPLE Having the right people in your business is crucial so you can focus on business development, and allows you to down tools and lead. SYSTEMS It is important to eliminate any costly errors incurred in the everyday running of your business. Work on projects and tasks that are high value, and move the business forward towards your goals.

MARKETING Your marketing should focus on ensuring you meet your customer’s needs in a digital world. By developing a good network with other trades who you can pass business to, you in turn can attract additional business time and again. SALES A good sales process should identify opportunities that increase your average spend, improve the closing of sales and build repeat business into your systems.

A B O U T A L I S O N WA R N E R A former business advisor to Fortune 500 brands, Alison founded Evolve and Grow in 2010; a highly acclaimed business coaching company that specialises in helping owners of construction and trade businesses grow sustainably. She has worked alongside hundreds of business owners to transform their operations, generating record growth and profitability. Alison is also the author of bestselling book ‘How to go from Tradesperson to Managing Director in the Construction and Trade Industries’ https://amzn.to/2QIb467 www.evolveandgrowcoaching.com

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17/02/2021 19:12

EDUCATE

PUTTING

A PLAN M

IN PLACE

HELEN TAYLOR SETS OUT FOUR STAGES SMES CAN FOLLOW TO BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE

y previous article (in the January issue) focused on the business case for sustainability for the landscape sector. By adopting sustainable practices, SMEs can find efficiencies, reduce costs, innovate, attract and retain talented employees, gain competitive advantage and improve financial performance. It is vital that businesses of all sizes understand the climate and social impact of their activities in order to contribute effectively to a recovery from COVID-19 and ongoing climate crisis. This article provides a structure to help you make a start on embedding sustainability within your business no matter its size or stage of growth.

HOW DO SMES WITH LIMITED RESOURCES BEGIN TO APPROACH SUSTAINABILITY? STAGE 1: UNDERSTAND YOUR CURRENT SITUATION

• Agree a sustainability definition for the business • Where does your company stand on sustainability and is it impacted by social or environmental issues? • How does your company impact society and the environment? • What kind of company culture do you have? • What issues are important to your customers and stakeholders? • What regulations affect you and your industry/sector? • How is the rest of the industry addressing sustainability and what is best practice? • What is the business case?

STAGE 2: PLAN

• Set out your strategic goals and objectives and ‘why’ • What frameworks and tools best suit the business? • Conduct baseline audits • How will you start and at what scale? • What budget is available?

STAGE 3: ENGAGE OTHERS AND GALVANISE SUPPORT

• Access leadership and management support • Build internal cooperation and make sustainability everybody’s responsibility • Run workshops to train staff in sustainability and carbon literacy • Consider external training in carbon literacy • Link sustainability to diversity and inclusion • Identify and engage customers, stakeholders, business partners and external business networks

STAGE 4: BUILD CAPACITY

• Identify and assign sustainability champions, and appoint a sustainability coordinator and taskforce • Set stretch projects: include sustainability targets and objectives in performance appraisals • Consider a graduate internship role or a student project

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ABOUT HELEN TAYLOR Following completion of her BSc, Helen Taylor launched her first business in 2011 with a strong environmental ethos. Helen completed her MBA in 2018 and, with an eager interest in the business case for sustainability, she began to focus her time on developing a toolkit to assist business owners’ approach to sustainability. Alongside her work as a business consultant, Helen is now an associate lecturer and industry skills coach at Nottingham Trent University, focusing on projects around the theme of sustainability and business support.

www.hostaconsulting.co.uk

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17/02/2021 17:03

DAILY UPDATES FROM THE LANDSCAPING INDUSTRY

@prolandscaper Advert Template PL.indd SocialMedia_full.indd 1 39

@prolandscaperuk

@prolandscapermagazine 18/02/2021 14:46 14:40

VA N D E N B E R K T R E E S I N T H E U K

The power to colour green

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Strulch was developed at Leeds University by Dr Geoff Whiteley. It is made from wheat straw, is an earthy brown colour has a neutral pH and lasts on the surface for up to two years. Strulch stops weeds germinating by blocking light, retains moisture in the soil and the added minerals and texture deters slugs and snails. 150 litre bags of Strulch are available on pallets of 12, 25 or 48 bags. Delivered within 4 working days. Trade discounts available

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18/02/2021 11:38

SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENTS

EDUCATE

ANGUS LINDSAY EXPLORES THE FUTURE OF GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, AND IT LOOKS GREEN

COULD THIS BE THE FUTURE? THE HUSQVARNA CEORA

new world of virtual meetings and conference calls have become the new norm in our lives, meaning that, more and more, we are interacting with our colleagues through a screen. It’s enlightening to see people in their home environment as you can’t help but look at what’s going on in the background, what’s on their shelves, the pictures on the wall and their choice in décor. Lockdown has given us a whole new insight into the people with which we work. This year’s Living City conference became a virtual two-hour event with input from experts across the globe. The online format took nothing away from the presentations and ‘wow’ factor of what the future holds in terms of stakeholders’ green agenda and how businesses are tackling these challenges. Of particular interest was a presentation from the American Green Zone Alliance, (AGZA), a body whose aim is to educate end users, facilities managers and contractors as to the impact of their grounds maintenance operations. This is achieved by training and certifying operators and managers alike in the safe and effective implementation of the latest

battery electric equipment by designing, verifying and certifying low emission Green Zones® for cities, schools, golf courses, and commercial properties to promote healthy workers and peaceful communities. Would the AGZA format work in the UK? I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t; maybe BALI could look at a similar form of accreditation which would complete the circle for environmental good practice.

MAYBE BALI COULD LOOK AT A SIMILAR FORM OF ACCREDITATION WHICH WOULD COMPLETE THE CIRCLE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GOOD PRACTICE

In the UK, many local authorities are raising the bar when it comes to adopting new environmentally friendly technology and practices, with this now a significant component of new tenders. This is also the case with private sector clients, who see it as part of their overall emissions reduction strategy. At last, the green revolution starts with some commitment. For me, schools, university campuses and sports facilities are areas where a new approach to the maintenance of their green spaces would see the greatest benefits. Not only would you reduce the immediate impact of the operations but, being learning environments full of young people, you are interacting with the next THE MONARCH FULLY AUTONOMOUS AND ELECTRIC TRACTOR GIVING TRADITION A 21 ST CENTURY BOOST generation, whose future will be affected by what we do today.

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Angus Lindsay-3.indd 119

Do we have the tools for the job to deliver this kind emission-free nirvana? Well, personally, I think the momentum is beginning to gather pace; we have access to a wide range of reliable electric power tools – Mean Green Mowers and Altrec provide expensive but proven electric options, and the recently released Monarch all-electric tractor takes the traditional tractor and gives it electric power and total autonomy, while still being compatible with existing implements and able to be operated in environments which don’t suit autonomous operations. Still in its early days and unlikely to see these shores in the near future, it is a viable alternative to diesel in the right environment – especially where that environment can be controlled and mapped via GPS or similar systems, where your existing mower or verti-drain fitted to the tractor could be sent to work in fully autonomous mode. Taking things a step further, Husqvarna launched a taster of its CEORA robotic turf management system which is said to be more than just a mower, though it has the capacity to cut up to 50,000m2 per day. Aimed at the aforementioned education and sports markets it is GPS controlled and able to undertake a variety of turf management operations. We wait with bated breath.

A B O U T A N G U S L I N D S AY Angus spent several years working on arable farms in Scotland before joining VSO in Egypt, implementing a mechanisation programme, managing field operations for a commercial cotton plantation in Nigeria and working as a contract instructor for Massey Ferguson in Yemen. He has an Agricultural Engineering and Mechanisation Management MSc from Silsoe, and joined Glendale as machinery manager in 1994, then idverde UK in 2009.

angus.lindsay@idverde.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / March 2021 119

18/02/2021 08:38

ADVERTORIAL

PLANT WITH P E R FO R M A N C E

J MAC EXPLAINS ITS TWO PRODUCTS PERFECT FOR LANDSCAPERS, AND UNVEILS ITS PLANS TO ENTER THE BATTERY POWERED MARKET

Mac Ltd, based in Earlswood, Solihull is actively establishing a portfolio of agricultural and construction plant, all of which is being made under license by world leading manufacturers to detailed specifications. Two machines which are ideal for the landscaper are the JMT 1500, a compact telehandler which is road towable, and the JME 20 mini-excavator. The JMT 1500 Compact Telehandler – many benefits in one compact machine The JMT 1500 is powered by a Perkins Stage V low emission diesel engine and has a 1400kg lift capacity. The comprehensive standard specification comprises: four-wheel hydrostatic drive, hydraulically adjusted forks, hydraulic quick hitch for attachment complete with .5m3 loading bucket. It also comprises a reversing camera, overload indicator, orange beacon, trailer hitch and socket and comes with a toolbox complete with tools. It has a lifting height of 4,010mm. The standard specification also includes power steering, joystick servo controls, LED work lights and electric handbrake. The JMT 1500 is competitively priced at £27,950 (exc. VAT). Another useful feature for busy landscaping contractors operating on several sites is that the JMT 1500 only weighs 2800kg, making it suitable for towing on a trailer by a suitable pick up or 4x4 vehicle.

.5M 3 LOADING BUCKET

And ‘talking trailers’, J Mac will also be introducing a range of construction plant trailers and one of them will be a purposebuilt model to carry the JMT 1500 compact telescopic handler. This compact telehandler is ideal for many of today’s landscaping projects and anywhere

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JMT 1500 COMPACT TELEHANDLER

where operating space is confined, without compromising on performance. It has more than the capacity needed to handle the most common pallet loads of one tonne. The JME 20 ‘Landscaper’ Mini-Excavator – great all-round value The other machine is the JME 20 ‘Landscaper’ which is a two-tonne mini-excavator powered by a Stage V low emission diesel engine. Again, this has a comprehensive standard specification including a full weather-proof cab, hydraulic quick hitch and expanding tracks. It comes complete with three buckets and has a £15,950 (exc. VAT) JME 06 price tag which represents excellent all-round value. And there’s more… In addition to these machines, J Mac also offers two MicroExcavators – the JME 06 and the JME 08 – again two machines which are ideal for carrying out landscaping work. The smallest excavator in the J Mac line up is the Model JME 06 (operating weight 600kg) – perfect for intricate landscaping work due to very compact dimensions (692mm wide and just over 2.5m long). Despite its compact size, it can still dig to nearly 1.3m. The JME 06 is powered by an ecofriendly Yanmar 7bhp low-emission diesel engine. Meanwhile, the JME 08 – powered by a Stage V engine and just under 1m-wide – has just had

expanding tracks added to its standard specification for extra digging stability. All machines in the J Mac range come with a full 12 months’ parts and labour warranty. An optional three year or 3,000 hours warranty is also available. JME 08 An eye to the future We are all being encouraged to cut our carbon emissions and, with this aim, J Mac will be introducing a battery powered ZERO Emission version of the JMT 1500 compact towable telescopic handler later in the year. J Mac has also announced it will be introducing a 1.3t and 1.8t battery powered zero emission excavator that will have remote control capability. The J Mac business is certainly evolving. The company is already building a spare parts facility at its Earlswood base in the Midlands, with excellent transport links for fast and efficient parts despatch.

C O N TA C T J Mac Ltd. Tel 01564 336 633 Email sales@jmacuk.com

www.jmacuk.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 09:56

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Plant Healthy Standard. The scheme makes it easy for clients to identify organisations that handle plant material in a manner that promotes plant health and biosecurity. English Woodlands is among the first organisations to receive this certification, following an independent audit in 2020. Credit: Designer, Sallis Chandler

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18/02/2021 11:38

EDUCATE

M AT E R I A L S F O C U S

R E C YC L E D

PLASTIC

AS A BUSINESS THAT CHAMPIONS THE RE-USE OF MATERIALS, FURNITUBES EXPLAINS HOW IT HAS REPURPOSED PLASTIC ACROSS ITS RANGE

o, what is plastic recycling? Well it is simply the art of recovering plastic waste and repurposing it into something useful. It sounds easy enough but not all plastic can be easily recycled thanks to their individual properties. Plastic bags, for example, are thin and a bit more delicate than a plastic water bottle which makes them difficult to process because they can clog up machinery during the recycling process.

MAIN BENEFITS OF RECYCLED OR RECYCLABLE PLASTIC • Reduces pollution from raw material extraction • Reduces landfill waste • Conserves natural resources like wood and metal • Protect ecosystems and wildlife • Create jobs, support an emerging industry • Robust with a long-life span

At recycling facilities, all plastic is immediately sorted into their various types, sometimes even manually to prevent contamination, like a straw accidentally making its way into a batch. Once sorted, the plastic is shredded and granulated through a process called size reduction, which facilitates better handling and processing. Next, the plastic is cleaned and decontaminated so it is free from any dirt and any other residue that could be harmful. Once clean, the reclaimed plastic is separated into different groups which is determined by many variables including size,

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shape, melting point and ability to absorb light for example. Finally, the plastic is refined to improve quality and distributed usually in pellet form for ease of transport. Plastic is used as part of our everyday lives for many different reasons. But from a manufacturer and designer’s point of view, it is durable, cost effective and versatile – which is why it is so widely used in product design. But as useful as this material has become over the years, it is also pretty harmful for our environment because, essentially, plastic doesn’t break down naturally very easily; in fact, it can take up to 1,000 years. Which is why we

IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THE BEST WE CAN AT ALL POINTS IN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN

A PLASTIC RECYCLING FACTORY

only ever use 100% recyclable stock when working with plastic and though metal isn’t quite as damaging to the environment, we only ever

KEY FACTS ABOUT RECYCLED PLASTIC • Not all plastics can be recycled, we only use 100% recyclable plastic • Recycling plastic degrades its quality • One tonne of recycled plastic saves 685 gallons of oil • Recycling plastic takes 88% less energy than making plastic from raw materials

use 100% recyclable steel in our factory. It is really important that we do the best we can at all points in our supply chain. Though we have a low carbon footprint, we use polyethylene (a lightweight and equally durable recyclable thermoplastic) to produce the base for our Uniun product range. One of the most widely used plastics in the world, polyethylene is classified by density and chemical branching and at Furnitubes we use LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene) – which is perfect for outdoor furniture due to its high resistance to impact, chemicals and the elements. Uniun is a cleverly designed system of modular trapezoid shaped seating modules that can be placed together in geometrical arrangements to achieve unique set ups. It was built specially to enhance rooftops, parks and even bigger schemes thanks to its unique and modern look as well as its highly durable properties. The Uniun is available in a range of bold colours and textures and with planter units that can also be retrofitted. It is also light enough to be moved around to suit any layout, heavy and durable enough to withstand this – the design possibilities are endless.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 12:44

EDUCATE

CAS E ST U DY

Innova APARTMENTS, Croydon Located in the heart of Croydon, and originally built as an office building in the 1960s, Impact House underwent a complete refurbishment and conversion to a 235-apartment residential development – comprising of three adjoining blocks – two eight-storey wings and a central 16-storey tower with roof terraces. Furnitubes was asked by Inspired Homes to design a scheme for the terrace incorporating fixed planters and seating, the latter being readily able to be moved around the space. In addition, Furnitubes produced a bespoke bar countertop and storage area to facilitate community events. Thanks to its bold design, durability and lightweight properties, Uniun was the perfect fit for this project. Its polyethylene base makes it perfect for high traffic areas. There are several colour and texture options available and it is light enough to facilitate different layouts, robust enough to withstand regular movement. Two groups of four units were supplied, each comprising of three bench modules and a single planter, with each bench accommodating up to four people when standing independently. The planters were fixed to a set position,

THE BASE IS MOULDED FROM LIGHTWEIGHT BUT TOUGH POLYETHYLENE

UNIUN PROVIDES MODERN CONTEMPORARY MODULES FOR BOTH SEATING AND PLANTERS

bringing some green to the area and framing the space. The Uniun, however, was built with the ability to move around the terrace to suit how the space is being used; its lightweight properties also made transfer onto the terrace and installation quick, easy and seamless. The bar was a much heavier and more permanent structure which didn’t need permanent fixing down. The steel framework was internally lined for noise dampening and the bar surface was produced with concrete effect porcelain tiles, drawing from the urban surroundings.

WHAT IS RECYCLED STEEL? Being a blend of iron and carbon, a lot of non-renewable energy is required to process steel which is harmful for the environment. But steel is actually very easy to recycle and is one of the few materials that can be 100% recycled and retain all of its properties – it’s also very durable and long-lasting. So, for some manufacturers, it is the go-to, not just for various kind of packaging from household and industrial items to street furniture. At our factory in Kent, almost 90% of the steel we use is recycled and we only ever use 100% recyclable steel to produce our products. Our most recent addition to our Modular Range – AKRI – Is a prime example. A sustainable modular, steel retaining wall system, AKRI makes it even easier for large planting beds to become part of a wider scheme. Adaptable and unique, this solution puts the designer in the driver’s seat, with more creative licence through shapes, curves and finishes to achieve the desired look. Crafted from both straight and curved panels, AKRI planters are a sustainable and cost-effective solution compared with traditional masonry walls or smaller sit-on top planters.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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ABOUT FURNITUBES Furnitubes thrives in the outdoor environment and is on a mission to get more people outside, safely. Its products build communities, improve the environment and keep people safe. Designing and manufacturing all of its products in the UK, it works in partnership with landscape architects, local authorities and contractors to design thoughtful street furniture that meets the needs of the communities and organisations we serve. www.furnitubes.com

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19/02/2021 13:37

ADVERTORIAL

STEPPING UP WITH REBECCA DEMPSTER EXPLAINS HOW TIGERTURF IS RESPONDING TO THE C L I M AT E C R I S I S W I T H A NEW RANGE MADE F R O M R E C YC L E D M AT E R I A L S , ‘ T I G E R U P ! ’

ased in Worcestershire, TigerTurf has been producing top quality artificial grass in the UK for 20 years. Although primarily known for its sports products, TigerTurf’s core and city range of products is extremely popular with homeowners and landscapers across the UK, Europe and Middle East.

The TigerTurf artificial grass range comprises of nine products varying from 22mm to 35mm pile heights. Both the core and city ranges have something for everyone and every setting. Whether that is a natural looking lawn using a variety of green tones and jute thatch or an all-green grass for a modern and fresh look. TigerTurf also

offers a comprehensive partner package including exclusive branding, lead generation and a dedicated account manager. As a manufacturer TigerTurf is conscious of its impact on the environment and is focused on minimising that impact and ensuring the sustainability of our industry and products. As well as an industry leading range of artificial

AS A MANUFACTURER TIGERTURF IS CONSCIOUS OF ITS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND IS FOCUSED ON MINIMISING THAT IMPACT AND ENSURING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR INDUSTRY AND PRODUCTS grass products, TigerTurf has been developing a revolutionary range of products made from 100% recycled materials for the landscape and construction markets. These products have been developed to provide sustainable solutions for several industry issues, not just those relating to artificial grass. tiger up! tiger up! is the latest innovation to come from TigerTurf UK, developed by our in-house research and development team based in Kidderminster. The entire tiger up! product range is manufactured using 100% recycled materials, including end-of-life artificial grass. By 2022, TigerTurf aims to use 100% of its waste as feedstock for tiger up! products, making it the first artificial grass manufacturer to become a waste-free factory. tiger up!

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18/02/2021 14:47

ADVERTORIAL

products offer innovative, eco-conscious solutions for a variety of industry issues. permeblox permeblox is one of two tiger up! products currently available on the market. permeblox is a versatile, robust, high performing rigid drainage board. Manufactured from 100% recycled materials the constituent ingredients have been heat bonded together in a unique patented process to create a drainage board with high flow characteristics on a macro level and storm water retention properties on a micro level.

PERMEBLOX USES • Porus drainage solution for landscaping • Green roofs, podium decks and roof deck car parking • Elevated landscapes and living facades • Vertical block walls, retaining walls and basements • Equestrian surfaces • Abutments and foundations • Hydroponics and sub-irrigation • Dykes and levees • Porous path edging on car parks and pathways • National Parks, walking trails and cycle paths • Natural and artificial sports fields and golf courses • Fin and French drain systems

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Installation of permeblox is a lot easier than traditional drainage systems because the trench required is dramatically shallower and narrower. In reasonable conditions up to 1000m can be laid in a single day. They can also be fitted over a variety of surfaces and overlaid with several construction materials and finishes. The boards, that are one-metre-long and 220mm wide, have a high compressive strength, suitable for being used in load bearing areas with the correct design application. permeblox offer a 20% greater drainage capacity than gravel and has a percolation rate 10 times greater than sand. It also has capillary properties that enable water to be held within it. The flow rate of permeblox is much more

TREKBOARDS’ ONE OF A KIND ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS • Manufactured using 100% recycled raw materials • With a life span of more than 50 years, trekboards will outlast traditionally used treated timber, and at the end of their life, trekboards can be recycled again to make new ones or to make permeblox • Used as a substitute for timber kickboards, using trekboards reduces the need to cut down trees for this use. • Utilizing trekboards on one artificial grass pitch saves 4320kgs of CO2 emissions, meeting carbon neutral construction targets via use of 100% post use recycled raw materials.

efficient compared to sand as water can flow through them 10 times faster and permeblox will not clog. One tonne of CO2 savings can be made for every 104 linear metres or 23sqm of permeblox installed. They can also be continually recycled by TigerTurf meaning, as well as being made from waste product, permeblox will never become a waste product as it can be repurposed again and again. permeblox can be used for a wide range of applications and has been used on notable projects such as the London 2012 Olympic Park. trekboards trekboards are a brand-new environmental feature of a modern artificial grass pitch, trekboards are a revolutionary new product designed and manufactured by TigerTurf in the UK. Primarily designed for infill retention and to protect the surrounding environment from infill migration, trekboards also protect the artificial surface from ingress of surrounding vegetation. trekboards will change the way we protect our environment from unnecessary and sometimes unavoidable infill migration from artificial grass fields. Coming soon to the tiger up! range is an innovative alternative to concrete and timber edging. Manufactured using the same 100% recycled plastic formula as trekboards and permeblox, tiger up! pin kerb edging provides an easy to install, long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing option compared to timber or concrete edgings.

• For more information on TigerTurf products: Tel: 01299 253 966 Email: UKinfo@tigerturf.com www.tigerturf.co.uk • For more information on tiger up! products: Tel: 01299 253 966 Email: info@tigerup.com www.tigerup.co.uk

ABOUT REBECCA DEMPSTER With more than 20 years’ experience in the landscape industry, Rebecca Dempster heads up the landscape division at one of the UK’s leading artificial grass manufacturers, TigerTurf. Having joined the team in 2019, Rebecca has been the key driver in the businesses landscape activities for the UK including sales and distribution and developing long lasting relationships with TigerTurf partners. www.tigerturf.com www.tigerup.co.uk

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18/02/2021 14:47

EDUCATE

THE GRASS IS GREENER

WE SPEAK TO THREE ARTIFICIAL GRASS SUPPLIERS TO FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS TO ARTIFICIAL GRASS AND WHAT THEY’RE DOING AS COMPANIES TO HELP COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE

EVERGREENS (UK)

PERFECTLY GREEN www.perfectlygreen.co.uk

www.evergreensukgroup.com

Artificial grass is not necessarily for everyone or every home but for some there are significant advantages where garden maintenance is difficult, sunshine in short supply or year-round garden access is desired. Aside from the practical user advantages of an artificial lawn there are also benefits which feed into the environmental discussion: • Limited water required – while some water may be used for cleaning it is not required to sustain the lawn which can use approx. 500 litres per hour. • No power required – no cutting using electric or petrol-powered mowers. It’s estimated that an hour of petrol mowing produces as much pollution as three or four hours of driving. • No pesticides – keen gardeners use millions of kg of herbicides and pesticides on unwanted weeds and insects. Artificial grass? None required.

AIR™ eco-friendly artificial grass, launched by ArtificialGrass.com and available to landscapers this Spring, has had a groundbreaking positive impact on the environment. An average-size AIR™ treated artificial lawn packs the same air-purifying punch as fifty mature trees and neutralises over a kilo of nitrogen oxide – the equivalent of a car’s annual emissions running 20 kilometres a day.

TIGERTURF

Constantly evolving their sustainability strategy, tigerturf.com/uk TigerTurf has been at the forefront of providing environmentally friendly solutions to the industry and beyond. Artificial grass itself has many properties that help the environment including free drainage, reducing water and pesticide usage as well as not requiring any use of petrol or electric mowers. TigerTurf launched pioneering base-layer, ecocept in 2015. Made from 100% recycled

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Concerns about drainage are also unfounded as artificial grass is manufactured to drain rapidly onto a base – this is also permeable to avoid standing water and flooding. On balance, there are good environmental arguments for artificial grass and the authenticity of modern products can make for a superb addition to any garden.

materials, ecocept offers unrivalled performance, drainage, and capillary action as well as unprecedented environmental benefits including saving 112 tonnes of CO2 emissions with just one installation or saving up to 140 tonnes of material being sent to landfill compared to a traditional installation. TigerTurf have developed the ecocept formula over the last five years to invent a catalogue of products with the same one-of-akind environmental credentials but providing solutions for number of issues faced by the landscape and construction industries. tiger up! is an innovative range of products made from 100% recycled materials. Each product is manufactured using waste plastic materials, including end of life artificial grass. By the end of 2022, TigerTurf will become the first artificial grass manufacturer to become a waste-free factory continuing to pave the way for a more sustainable future for our industry.

Evergreens’ innovative AIR™ range plays an important part in improving UK air quality where pollution is at its most significant. Recyclable at the end of its life, an AIR™ artificial lawn will now also be continuously contributing to a better environment throughout its lifecycle. AIR™ treated artificial grass eliminates pet odours and mould, moss or algae threats. The innovative AIR™ technology is capable of reducing the harmful pollutants and unpleasant odours by up to 70%. This sunlight-activated, anti-bacterial technology is also used by NASA, Google and Apple. Available in two varieties, landscapers can request samples of Clarity AIR™ (soft, natural multi-green 30mm lawn) and Active AIR™ (rich green 32mm grass, ideal for the busy family garden) online.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 16:11

Kebur Egyptian Limestone Sinai Pearl paving and steps courtesy of RE Landscapes

QUALITY HARD LANDSCAPING SUPPLIES

NATION WIDE ON-SITE TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT Our in-house instructor can deliver: • 360 and 180 Excavators • Lifting with Excavator • Forward Tipping Dumpers • Rough Terrain Telehandler • Loading Shovel • Skid Steer Loader • Tractor Driving • ATV Sit in and Sit Astride • Counterbalance Forklift

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18/02/2021 11:40

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• Earth retaining walls • Palisading Unilog Pro machine round timbers offer an attractive, practical and cost-effective solution for landscape projects. Timbers are kiln dried and pressure treated with Tanalith E wood preservative.

• Raised flower beds • Border edging • Pathways and steps • Ornate bridges • Playground amenity projects

&&'% #'#" &'% ' & $# ' &$#% '" &!& ' % &#& ' % " $' %" &#! M&M Timber also supply sleepers, bollards, fencing timbers, palisade fencing, garden gazebos, sheds, greenhouses and log cabins.

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09/02/2021 13:54 18/02/2021 11:41

EDUCATE

CHALLENGE

THE INDUSTRY WE ASKED SOME OF INDUSTRY’S BIGGEST NAMES TO TELL US WHAT THEY’RE DOING TO LOWER THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT

CHRIS HARROP OBE

RICHARD KAY

SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR, MARSHALLS PLC

CHAIRMAN, GREEN-TECH

Everything we do at Marshalls is intended to make the world around us a better place to live in, which is why we are the first in the industry to have approved Science Based Targets for Climate Change for reducing our carbon footprint by 2030. Whilst 98% of our manufactured products are made in mainland Britain – which means products travel less miles to get to customers – we’re currently upgrading our entire fleet to Euro 6 European emission standards which means less pollution and a better fuel economy. We’re working to reduce our plastic packaging too; we’ve already reduced it by 35% and we aim to reach 85% by the end of 2021. We want to make it easy for our customers to make greener choices, we have developed a range of sustainable drainage solutions including permeable paving and driveway drainage, which deal with surface water run-off in an environmentally friendly way, and all of our concrete and stone patio slabs can be recycled once they’re no longer in use. We make sure that all products that are made in mainland Britain are clearly labelled as such on our website and brochure, in the same way as we use our Fairstone badge for ethically sourced natural stone.

Sustainability is a key corporate objective for Green-tech. One of our directors is undertaking an online course with Leeds Beckett University on Business Development with a key focus on sustainability. I am delighted that 90% of our business operations are now paperless. We work in an industry that uses plastic for the protection of trees and shrubs, but we are working hard to find viable alternatives. We have joined forces with Tubex to deliver their Tree Shelter Collection and Recycling Programme. It is the first of its kind in the UK and is a cost-effective solution that is within reach for everyone. We are working to reduce our footprint by buying local – 90% of all our products are sourced within the UK. We operate a car share policy (although due to the pandemic this is on hold), run hybrid company cars and all flatbed transport leaving our yard is accredited by The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS). We have solar panels on our roof. We only buy recycled pallets, and our own wood waste is recycled by Timberpak. Our own manufactured soils are all environmentally friendly – they are peat free and use PAS 100 Green compost. We are continually looking for ways to reduce our packaging and we have recently managed to reduce the amount of plastic pallet wrap that we use by 50% by investing in new machinery and technology.

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EDUCATE

JONATHAN COOPER

TREX BUSINESS MANAGER, ARBOR FOREST PRODUCTS Environmental responsibility is built into Trex’s DNA; the company has never felled even a single tree to make a deck board, because Trex decking is made from 95% recycled sawdust and plastic packaging, such as plastic grocery bags. In fact, the company is the largest plastic film recycler in the USA. Trex manufacturing processes are designed to be earth-friendly, with the company reclaiming factory waste and eliminating the use of harmful chemicals. Closer to home, Trex Transcend’s exclusive UK distributor, Arbor Forest Products, has put in place a range of impressive environmental interventions to keep its carbon footprint to a minimum. The company only uses electricity generated from its on-site solar panels, and contributes £30K of electricity back to the National Grid – more than the company currently consumes. Heat at the company’s North Lincolnshire HQ is provided by an on-site biomass boiler, which also serves to reduce waste by consuming wood scrap that would otherwise have gone to landfill. This, combined with the fact that Arbor Forest Products re-sells wood shavings and other by-products as animal bedding, means the company generates zero wood waste.

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LOUISE PAGE

MARKETING MANAGER, GREENBLUE URBAN GreenBlue Urban recognises it has a role to play in assisting with carbon net zero by supporting our customers to achieve their targets in reducing carbon and help improve air quality through a safer and more sustainable means of travel. With our popular Climate Change CPD, our technical offering assists planners and contractors who are under pressure to design and implement resilient infrastructure on developments to become net zero. That’s why GreenBlue Urban is working with preferred suppliers to bring you ArborCharge the complete system that combines electric car charging with our ArborSystem® and ArborFlow® to create the ultimate, multi-functional tree pit system. Electric vehicle charging is

certainly not the only solution but must be considered as part of a behaviour change to make a long-term difference. A complete review of our CSR policy is underway with all fleet vehicles being hybrid or full electric. Our purpose-built HQ in Bodiam, East Sussex has been sustainably constructed to help reduce our carbon footprint, including onsite pond offering recycled water, censored lighting for energy efficiency and recycling of all waste. With the circular economy at the forefront, GreenBlue is the leading supplier that manufactures and distributes onsite using recycled, recyclable materials that now also include marine debris, not only reducing landfill but saving our oceans too.

ROB EDWARDS

MARKETING MANAGER, TRACTOR BUSINESS UNIT, KUBOTA (UK) LIMITED Our commitment to the environment is underlined in our new visual for 2021, On Your Side. It portrays the image of Kubota engaged in solving issues of food, water, and the environment (the three balloons) through its business. The image illustrates that Kubota progresses with strong steps and with a conviction, to be on the side of its customers and the people who are facing issues in those three areas, aiming for a better tomorrow. The Kubota Group contributes to the protection of the global environment and solves social issues in the food, water and living environment fields through the provision of environment-friendly products and services. We conduct environmental assessment of products in the design and development stages and promote environmentfriendliness over the entire product life cycle, from the procurement of raw materials to the disposal of products. We internally certify exceptionally

environment-friendly products as Eco-Products, and are working to expand our line-up of certified products. We evaluate products in accordance with five basic criteria for environmental conservation, namely: • Tackling climate change • Working towards a recyclingbased society • Conserving water resources • Controlling chemical substances • Conserving biodiversity Our Eco-Products line-up includes the M4 tractor series and RTV-X1110.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 15:25

EDUCATE

CAROLINE BIRDSALL

MARKETING DIRECTOR, MILLBOARD Sustainability has always been a key consideration at Millboard. We were the first premium outdoor flooring company in the world to have its carbon footprint independently verified and UKAS accredited” (to the international standard ISO 14064). Our decking and cladding products both have the same, unique composition. Within their core, more than a third of the raw materials are recycled from the waste produced by other manufacturing processes – materials which would otherwise have been destined for landfill. On the outer surface, the Lastane layer uses biopolymers and oil polyols derived from naturally occurring vegetables oils, rather than from petroleum-based materials. As the end product requires minimal maintenance, there is no need to apply potentially harmful cleaners or preservatives, and its extended lifetime makes it a very energy-efficient use of resources. Absolutely no hardwood forests are depleted and, being made here in the UK – by far our biggest market – transportation costs are lower than for imported materials, a factor further helped by our use of lightweight, recyclable packaging. Last but not least, Millboard decking can be recycled in a variety of ways, such as being reground for use as a polyurethane filler, or within building materials, such as concrete. It all adds up to a sustainable approach which our whole team is proud of.

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STEVE WALLEY

MANAGING DIRECTOR, LONDON STONE London Stone is committed to having a positive impact on the environment. In 2021, we’ll calculate the carbon footprint of our core products and publish the results on our website. Our aim is to provide our customers with environmental transparency when considering our products. Having carbon footprint data at their disposal will enable clients to make informed decisions about the amount of carbon used within their schemes. As part of our drive to use less carbon, London Stone continues to use biomass energy and recycle water at our Bespoke Stone Centre, have a ban on single-use plastics across all of our sites, and is actively looking to reduce packaging and waste where possible. We’ll also publish figures of our monthly energy consumption across the business, along with the renewable energy that we are creating. This data will enable us to further scrutinise the impact that our business has on the environment, so that we can identify ways to improve this. We’ll be recording the following data: • Electricity usage • Amount of energy generated by our biomass burners • Diesel consumption per kg of delivered materials • Weight of material sent to landfill • Weight of recycled cardboard and paper • Amount of water usage at our factory • Amount of stone waste recycled

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EDUCATE

ANDREW CUSHING

CUSTOMER DIRECTOR, JEWSON Construction is adapting to a changing world where ways of operating are rightly being challenged. If our industry is to help tackle climate change, we must all make efforts to minimise our impact on the environment. Prioritising sustainability and addressing the climate emergency is incredibly important to us, and our parent company, Saint-Gobain. We’re accelerating efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and are developing a roadmap to achieve our net zero goal. We work closely with key partners to ensure we’re taking the right approach when it comes to materials. We have for a long time sourced sustainable timber and worked with partners, including the WWF, who awarded us ‘Three Trees’ in the last Timber Scorecard – the highest status. We’re also expanding our low carbon fleet and are continually looking to make our branches more energy efficient. However, there’s more we can do to lower our impact on the environment. That’s why we’ve introduced a dedicated project to review our sustainability, both in terms of helping customers reduce their carbon footprint, as well as our own operations and impact. This is in line with Saint-Gobain’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon status by 2050 and Make the World a Better Home. These are not just aspirational goals, they’re measurable objectives, with clear targets which we are determined to meet.

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HUSQVARNA GROUP Husqvarna Group, manufacturer of outdoor power tools and solutions for forest, park and garden care has a strategic approach to sustainability, known as Sustainovate, which aims to bring people and nature closer together to ensure the global brand lowers its environmental footprint. As part of Sustainovate, Husqvarna is transitioning to low-carbon solutions in every aspect of its products lifecycle and Husqvarna plans to reduce its CO2 emissions by 35% across its value chain by 2025. Battery technology and robotics have a significant role in delivering this, along with stronger cooperation from Husqvarna suppliers, leaner manufacturing and smarter product design,

as a result Husqvarna is preventing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2 from entering the planet’s atmosphere every year. Husqvarna is also making smarter use of the materials that comprise its products, finding ways to reduce the use of natural materials and plastic, plus extending product lifecycles through reuse, resale, repair, remanufacturing and easy recycling for less waste. Lastly, with five million customers and colleagues, Husqvarna is scaling up its potential impact by inspiring its customers and colleagues to opt for sustainable choices and by triggering their imagination on the difference that they can make.

CHARLES TAYLOR

DIRECTOR, COMPOSITE PRIME As the UK’s leading brand of sustainable decking and cladding, we are dedicated to manufacturing environmentally-friendly materials for both residential and commercial projects. Each square metre of our composite decking contains the equivalent of more than 3,000 plastic bottle caps or 280 plastic bottles. In the six years we have been in operation, we’ve saved 90 million plastic milk bottles from landfill. Our composite products are made using recycled plastic and FSC® 100% certified oak wood flour which ensures our boards

look and feel like traditional timber. All of our responsibly made products utilise the wood flour from ‘end of life’ trees, plus are 3D embossed and capped to provide increased protection against fading, staining and other potentially damaging elements. The requirement to be sustainable in all areas of society is very real and every generation is recognising this. As global challenges around plastic waste and deforestation increases, composite products provide a sustainable and genuine alternative to timber and plastic materials.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 15:28

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18/02/2021 15:16

ADVERTORIAL

HAVING THE EDGE

THE MOST POPULAR FINISH, CORE-TEN STEEL

S A L E S D I R E C T O R H A R V E Y K E AT E S E X P L A I N S W H AT M A K E S C O R E E D G E S TA N D O U T F R O M T H E C R O W D

part from the fact it is proudly manufactured here in the UK, there are a whole host of other reasons to look at specifying CORE EDGE. Unlike most other steel edging, ours features a unique fold along the centre of the ground spike to provide maximum strength, reinforcing the spike and making it ideal for use in tough ground conditions. However, if you are installing our edging on soft or loamy soil, then our optional rebar pin & clip can be added to provide additional stability where required. An additional benefit of these optional pins is that they can be fitted after installation has started – so there is no need to lift a whole run of edging if you encounter softer soil part way during the install.

UNLIKE MOST OTHER STEEL EDGING, OURS FEATURES A UNIQUE FOLD ALONG THE CENTRE OF THE GROUND SPIKE TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM STRENGTH Another unique design feature only found with CORE EDGE is our ‘dual lock’ mechanism – using double locking tabs, this provides a rigid strong

connection between adjoining sections of edging. This helps SUSSEX LAWN INSTALLATION – A COMPLETED PROJECT USING provide a valuable time saving CURVES AND STRAIGHT RUNS on large installs as long runs of edging can be joined together before being installed – as opposed to installing extremes of temperatures. For ease of use, our one section at a time and trying to adjoin the next domestic and trade packs each provide exactly section in the ground. This really comes into its five linear meters. The connecting overlap own when creating large sweeping curves or between sections is 75mm long and each section complicated shapes in terms of ease of install. of CORE EDGE is 1075mm long to counteract this – which gives five finished linear meters when connected. We provide 6% more edge per pack than our nearest competitor. It is available in two thicknesses – 1.6mm, which is suitable for domestic schemes, and 2.5mm heavy duty trade edging for heavier duty projects. Due to popular demand, we also offer the heavy-duty trade edging in longer lengths of 2.2m where larger amounts of steel edging are INSTALLATION AT A LARGE PRIVATE GARDEN IN SURREY. CORE EDGE IS FLEXIBLE YET required, these longer lengths are invaluable STURDY FOR LARGE COMPLICATED SCHEMES in saving on installation time. All three types of edging come with three CORE EDGE is laser cut for precision and then depth/face height options and are available in undergoes a hot dip galvanising process (except seven finishes, including the very popular and on for our Core-Ten weathered finish) prior to being trend Core-Ten finish which takes on a beautiful, powder coated. Our powder coating technique weathered patina over time. So, regardless of the uses a UV stable Akzo-Nobel powder to prevent requirement, we have all the solutions, and with colour fade and forms a hard wearing and a huge UK stockholding and courier network, durable scratch resistant surface to guarantee some of the fastest delivery available. a 20-year-plus lifespan. Powder coating provides a hard wearing and tougher finish compared to A B O U T H A R V E Y K E AT E S other conventional paint application methods as it will not crack or expand and contract in Harvey Keates started working for CORE Landscape Products back in 2014. He was rapidly promoted to sales director through his knowledge of products and his understanding of the ever-changing demands and needs of the landscaping industry, having spent most of his school years being ‘hands on’ in the warehouse, offices and yard of this family run business which was established 40 years ago. www.corelp.co.uk

OPTIONAL EXTENSION PINS CAN BE ADDED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL STABILITY

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www.prolandscapermagazine.com

18/02/2021 12:07

ADVERTORIAL

What is your current role? As a long-established business, Kebur has a hard-earned reputation for our great product range, our expert friendly advice and for turning orders around quickly. My role as manager of our sales team is to ensure our customers have a seamless experience when ordering their supplies, right through from initial enquiry to delivery and aftercare. What does this involve day to day? For most trade customers, good stock levels and speed are crucial to getting their job done. So, a big part of my role is about keeping in touch with our account holders to understand what they might need for a project and getting it to them quickly. One minute we’ll be organising an urgent delivery to a valued trade customer, the next quoting for a bespoke high-end retail project. You never know what each day will bring. It’s also important for landscapers and designers to have somewhere their clients can browse in daylight and ask questions. We’re constantly improving our indoor and outdoor display areas and for those who can’t visit, we have a dedicated team at the end of the phone as well as our e-commerce website. What makes working at Kebur rewarding? What I love about Kebur is the fast-paced environment where the customer always comes first. We’ve a fantastic team of positive people who pull together EGYPT IA N L I M ESTO N E and really take S IN A I P E A R L CO P IN G pride in delivering STO N ES a first-class service. As a family-run company, we have the flexibility to be agile which has really helped us in the last year. How has COVID-19 impacted your work? Like every business, we’ve had to adapt quickly and find the right working arrangements that keep our staff and customers safe above all else. Although it’s certainly been a challenging time, many of the changes we’ve introduced have actually been an opportunity. And when you get a glowing review from a customer, it makes it all worthwhile.

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KEEPING UP WITH KEBUR

S A L E S M A N A G E R C H R I S J O N E S T E L L S U S W H AT H E L O V E S A B O U T H I S J O B AT K E B U R G A R D E N M AT E R I A L S A N D T H E C O M PA N Y ’ S P L A N S F O R 2 0 2 1

A RECENT PROJECT USING KEBUR THUNDERSTORM PORCELAIN INSTALLED BY THE COMPANY’S LANDSCAPING TEAM

What’s new this year? We’re always working on our product range to keep it fresh. New products this season include Siberian Larch fencing slats, reversible composite decking, and a broader range of paving, from affordable porcelain to luxury Egyptian Limestone edgings and coping (pictured). Plus, we’re delighted to be freezing prices on all our porcelain and many of our natural stone range. The Kebur team has recently grown, meaning we’ll be offering more proactive support to trade customers this year. Trade account holders will also be able to sign up to our new hard landscaping courses that we’ll be running in conjunction with the APL, once we’re safe to put on events again. How is the business embracing SAWN BUFF YORKSTONE sustainability? We’re definitely noticing a shift in customer awareness and are constantly looking for new

sustainable hard landscaping products on the market. As sponsors of our local Countryside Trust, we’ve been working hard to promote wildlife gardening and have been delighted with the take up of our hedgehog-friendly gravel boards. We’re pleased to offer a wide range of sustainable timber products, recycled materials and a growing number of British stone products. As there’s still strong demand for imported stone, we’re helping to offset the carbon impact by planting trees for purchases in our imported Contempo Natural Stone range this year. There’s still a long way to go for the industry but we’re absolutely committed to being part of the solution and helping customers make sustainable choices.

C O N TA C T Kebur Garden Materials 2 Lynchford Lane, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 6JD Tel 01252 517 571 Email sales@kebur.co.uk Instagram @keburgarden www.kebur.co.uk

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P EO P L E

JAMES SCOTT

P140

©Clive Nichols

LIFE/STYLE

I N S I D E P E O P L E T H I S M O N T H PA G E 1 3 9 3 0 U N D E R 3 0 U P D AT E : D O M I N I C K N O W E R , PA G E 1 4 0 L I F E / S T Y L E : J A M E S S C O T T, PA G E 1 4 2 W H AT ’ S YO U R R O L E ? L E E M C P H E R S O N , PA G E 1 4 6 L I T T L E I N T E R V I E W S People Cover.indd 137

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PEOPLE WILDFLOWERS BESIDE THE PLAYGROUND IN ALEXANDRA PARK, HASTINGS

3 0 U N D E R 3 0 U P DAT E

DOMINIC KNOWER A YEAR INTO THE NEW ROLE OF SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME MANAGER, DOMINIC KNOWER EXPLAINS HOW I DVERDE IS PUSHING ITSELF TO IMPROVE ITS GREEN CREDENTIALS

s a green service provider, it might be a given that idverde is a green company itself – and it certainly strives to be. Towards the beginning of last year, the grounds maintenance behemoth created a new role of sustainability programme manager to put environmental impact at the forefront of its work, and there was arguably no better person for the job than Dominic Knower. Boasting a first-class degree in Ecology and Conservation from Manchester Metropolitan University – which idverde sponsored him to undertake whilst he worked part-time in business development – Dominic not only preaches about sustainability, but he also practices it too. “It has to be a way of life, and I’ve been on that journey with my family for quite some years,” says Dominic. “You have to have integrity – I can’t convince three and a half thousand colleagues to be more sustainable if I’m not leading by example. I’ve got lots of personal experience and evidence to back up what I’m championing.” As sustainability programme manager, Dominic’s primary role is to manage and coordinate the ‘sustainability action plan’ for idverde in the UK and collaborate with colleagues in France, Holland and Denmark. “The industry is demanding this – tenders all

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have sustainability components now, it’s become a core part of the service delivery. The plan allows us to prioritise what we’re going to deal with now, next and at some point in the future. It’s an opportunity to change and shape the business so that it becomes better in every way possible.” The strategy separates sustainability into three categories – people, planet and performance. Within people, the plan addresses those on which the company has an impact, so colleagues, clients and communities. Planet looks at the work idverde will do to tackle environmental issues, such as global warming, plastic pollution and resource consumption. Performance links it all together. “It’s about overall company performance, not just financial. So our carbon footprint, employment metrics and community interactions for example, are all important components of how we measure sustainability.” Having worked for idverde since 2013, Dominic is in a great position to review its practices. He first joined as a seasonal grounds maintenance operative on a local authority contract. Within five months, idverde was sponsoring him to undertake a degree, which ended up being a four-year Ecology and Conservation course. For this third-year placement, Dominic supervised a large local authority grounds maintenance contract,

coordinating a team of around 20 colleagues. "I learned all about the operational side to the business which is an experience I continue to revisit and draw from now as I focus on sustainability." On completing his degree, Dominic received the Environmental Crop Management Award for Highest Overall Average

IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE AND SHAPE THE BUSINESS SO THAT IT BECOMES BETTER IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE and was promoted to business development manager at idverde a year later before taking on his latest role in the company. As well as improving idverde’s sustainability, Dominic would like to see a stronger industrywide effort too and a better understanding – he’s calling it a “sustainability literacy”. “People need to understand what it is to live and work sustainably and push the boat out in terms of adopting new technologies and new ways of working; it can be very customer-led, which is too slow. We need radical change.” It can be an “overwhelming” task, says Dominic, but for idverde’s roadmap he’s trying to prioritise certain issues and build an ongoing plan. It’s a mammoth job, but a role which Dominic is thrilled to have, and one which will undoubtedly make a huge difference.

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sensitively as possible has been a great source of insight into their creative thinking.

Best project It’s impossible to choose one single project! I’m a huge believer in the transformative power of nature on our lives and knowing that the work we do makes such a positive difference is humbling. I’ll never tire of seeing a client’s joy at the end of a project and knowing that it will last for years to come.

Colleagues Running a business has taught me to appreciate the value of being surrounded by talented people. There’s been days when I’ve not been quite sure how I’ll get everything done. These times are only made ‘do-able’ by having a great team working with me, along with a network of wonderful people throughout the industry. Mentors As a garden builder as well as designer, I’ve been fortunate throughout my career to work closely with leading designers at the top of their game. Interpreting their design intentions as

Issues to address We are of course highly committed to managing the environmental impact of our work. For example, by balancing hard and soft landscaping, designing with vernacular materials in mind, encouraging biodiversity and recycling/reusing/repurposing where possible. However, there is always more that we can do to improve our practices regarding sustainability. Best learning curve Definitely delegation. Delegation saves time, makes great use of the talent available and enables us today to manage a busy pipeline of design work, deliver several landscape projects at a time, and service 60+ gardening clients. The high and low points of your career? Generally, I am very proud to see a great team delivering amazing projects. The ‘icing on the

cake’ really is our track record of winning multiple national awards. In terms of a low point, the financial crisis of 2008 – we weathered the storm, and no doubt learnt a few things from the experience.

©Clive Nichols

WORK

PEOPLE

Leadership style I started out when ‘do as I say’ was a typical style for bosses to adopt. As something of an introvert, my preference is not to be the centre of attention, but to work alongside people, listening to ideas and reaching decisions after reflection. I think and hope this approach builds other peoples’ confidence and trust in me. What you hope to achieve in your work during the next 12 months? This year, we are celebrating our 30th business anniversary. We decided to mark this milestone by giving ourselves a new look – a new brand identity and a highly visual website to showcase our work. Our aim is quite simply to celebrate our heritage while illustrating that we are a forwardlooking business that continues to evolve.

LIFE/STYLE JAMES SCOTT

J A M E S S C O T T, M D O F T H E G A R D E N C O M PA N Y, S H A R E S W H AT H E ’ S L E A R N E D A N D E X P E R I E N C E D O N H I S J O U R N E Y A S A S U C C E S S F U L B U S I N E S S OW N E R A S I T R E AC H E S I TS 3 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y

INSPIRATION

People As a student and in the early years of my career, the designers that most influenced me were those such as John Brookes, Geoffrey Jellicoe, Christopher Bradley-Hole and Tom StuartSmith. My grandparents gave me Geoffrey Jellicoe’s ‘Private Modern Gardens’ and I still dip into it now for inspiration. More recently, leading garden designers including Cleve West, James Basson, Debbie Roberts and Ian Smith of Acres Wild, and Julie Toll have been a big personal influence. Their gardens have left a lasting

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impact on me and added to my mental ‘filing cabinet’ of ideas. I have been lucky to work closely with several of them. Gardens My grandparent’s rambling Cotswold garden and orchard held an intoxicating promise of adventure that inspired my love of nature and my appreciation of gardens as places to engage with. I also love the Alhambra in Andalusia for its grandeur and strikingly contemporary geometry and Sheffield Park Gardens in Sussex for its ambitious sense of scale and for the way in which Capability Brown so intuitively understood how the

gardens would mature long after his lifetime. I have to also mention Hidcote Gardens in Gloucestershire for its intricately designed compartments, sending the visitor on a journey of discovery. We are so lucky in the UK to be able to visit some truly outstanding gardens and flower shows. I have visited RHS Chelsea Flower Show every year for more than 30 years (bar last year), immersing myself in as many ideas as I can.

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PEOPLE

PERSONAL Hobbies Cooking is similar to gardening for me – a creative way of bringing joy. I get a similar sense of satisfaction making a delicious family meal as I do creating a space that will be a source of happy memories for a client. I’m also a keen guitar player. Design tastes Abstract art can be a great demonstration of the relationship between certain geometries and colours. A simple image can be a reminder that certain proportions and balances are pleasing to the eye – for example, I like Piet Mondrian’s pieces based on squares and rectangles and Wassily Kandinsky’s work on the ‘harmony of colours’. In terms of architecture, I value Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy, especially for his sense of balance and proportion and the blending of buildings into the landscape. Food I love seafood. We have a small holiday home in a shell fishing port in France and I love the local restaurants as well as ingredients available for cooking. Drink I’d have to pick a top-quality Bordeaux. I started buying wine en primeur around 15 years ago and I am just starting to reap the benefits! Most fun you’ve ever had? I would have to cite being part of a rock covers band which was formed for my 50th birthday party and was so enjoyable (for the band) that we kept it going. We have since played gigs including a paid pub gig just before the first national lockdown. We are family members and friends sharing a passion for playing great songs that people love – Rolling Stones, Beatles, Pink Floyd – all the recent stuff!

TRAVEL Places you’ve been In my youth I enjoyed travelling; some favourite places were Thailand, St Lucia, Mauritius, Botswana. Since we had our children, our summer holidays have been mainly spent in France and Spain. Places you’d like to go A longstanding ambition has been to follow the England cricket team on tour overseas – enjoying the cricket obviously and also benefiting from some very special locations. To date, I have seen them play abroad in Pakistan and South Africa.

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©Clive Nichols

How you like to travel I like to travel lightly, but with two teenage daughters this is but a faint memory. More seriously, I do worry about climate change when we are planning a holiday. We don’t fly very often (trips to France are by ferry) and we try to shop and eat like locals wherever we are, but there is always more that we could do to reduce our carbon footprint. Of course, one appealing option is to stay there for longer!

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PEOPLE

WHAT’S

YOUR

ROLE?

What does your role include? My main role involves planning and planting of high amenity areas in Haddington and the surrounding villages, maintaining the beds and parks and getting them ready for the local communities to enjoy throughout the year and for the various competition judging days such as Beautiful Scotland and RHS Britain in Bloom. However, it can also involve pitch marking, litter picking, grass cutting, hedge cutting, play equipment inspections, training, meetings and paperwork. So, it’s always a busy day!

LEE MADE THE JUMP FROM A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER IN LONDON TO GARDENING FOR E AST LOTHIAN COUNCIL IN SCOTL AND

How has it developed since you first started? I spent six months, in 2011, as a seasonal gardener, cutting grass and hedges. In 2012, I was offered a full-time position where I immediately became involved in all aspects of grounds maintenance and amenity services. Then, in 2015, I was promoted to qualified gardener in Haddington. The council also offered me the opportunity to study for a SVQ Level 3 in Parks, Gardens & Green spaces at SRUC Oatridge. Has COVID-19 affected your role at all? When COVID-19 hit in March, we were just getting into the main gardening season with grass cutting, bed preparation, etc – and then suddenly the streets and parks were empty! It was very strange, but we were still there, working as normal whilst following social distancing, hand sanitising and working in teams of two. It slowed us down, but you could really see how happy people were to see us as lockdown eased and how appreciative they were of the work we were doing – the impact that flower beds and green spaces have on people could be seen first-hand. What was your job prior to the council? I was a commercial photographer, based in a very dark photographic studio in London, mainly photographing shoes! What drew you to horticulture? I was always passionate about gardening and helped my dad in the family garden when I was younger and I loved the outdoors, the coast and nature. I moved to Edinburgh in 2008 and

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THERAPEUTIC GARDENING HAS A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY IN THE FUTURE OF PEOPLES’ PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH What is your favourite part about working in the industry? The role is so varied but working outside, amongst the plants, through the spring and summer and seeing the reactions from the public in Haddington when they see the planting is so rewarding. To see their faces light up and see how happy it makes them, it really makes you feel you are making a difference.

LEE MCPHERSON EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL

I wanted to change career and when the opportunity came up at East Lothian Council, I just had to go for it.

What has been a personal highlight? In 2019, I presented a talk at the Grow Careers Day at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh about my work and career change, which was nerve-racking but fantastic; and then, in 2020, I was delighted to win the runner-up award in Horticulture at Lantra Scotland’s ALBAS. What do you find most challenging? The weather! When it rains, there seems to be more of it and for longer. When the sun comes out, it definitely feels warmer. We are already changing what we plant to cope with these changes and the pests and diseases that come with them! Future plans for your career? I love my job with East Lothian Council, and I see myself staying and evolving the role for as long as I can. I’m also very interested in the therapeutic side of gardening and would love to train and work in that area. I really think it has a major role to play in the future of people’s physical and mental health.

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The official job board of Pro Landscaper magazine

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JOBS

For full details on all jobs, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk Call 01903 777 570 or email phil.every@eljays44.com with your vacancy

LANDSCAPE OPERATIVE (SOFT LANDSCAPING BASED) GAVIN JONES LTD Location: Yorkshire

SOFT LANDSCAPER WRIGHT’S LANDSCAPES Location: Hertfordshire

Gavin Jones is looking for a landscape operative to join its soft landscaping division in Mirfield. The successful candidate may be required to start early or work later in line with the operational needs of the business. They may also, on occasions, be required to work away from home. The new landscape operative will work as part of a small team, ensuring excellent standards and productivity levels are being achieved. Applicants must have previous background experience of carrying out commercial scale, construction site-based soft landscaping operations.

Wright’s Landscapes is looking to expand its team of soft landscapers. It prides itself on offering its clients high quality finishes whilst adhering to tight schedules on its new build developments. Candidates will need to hold a CSCS card and a clean UK driving license. Applicants will be able to: approach clients in a polite and friendly manner; be able to prepare ground and lay turf; read plans and set out shrubs; have an eye for detail; and demonstrate a level of plant knowledge. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, they will be expected to travel to sites throughout London and Hertfordshire via their own means of transport, with mileage reimbursed.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

SKILLED LANDSCAPER

PLANTAREA MANAGER

Sadie May Studios is looking for a committed, hard-working individual who enjoys working outdoors to join its team of landscapers, creating bespoke landscape gardens to the highest standard throughout the Midlands and Warwickshire with occasional work in other areas of the UK. Applicants must have a five or more years’ experience working in the building/landscaping industry and a passion for gardens and working to the highest standards in the industry. They must excel at: paving; drainage and groundworks; 360 excavator to an advanced level; working from design plans; block laying; brick laying; and all aspects of timber work and soft landscaping.

Fairweather’s Garden Centre is looking for a knowledgeable plantarea manager with excellent customer service skills. The role is hands on and will involve managing a small team of staff, increasing plant sales, assisting with marketing initiatives, face-toface sales with customers, working closely with suppliers, purchasing and ensuring the department is well stocked in line with demand. Candidates must be focused on delivering great customer service and friendly and informed advice. Applicants must have strong horticultural knowledge and previous experience in a similar role, or have held a similar role in garden centre retail and feel ready to take the next career step.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

HARD LANDSCAPING TEAM LEADER (DOMESTIC)

LANDSCAPE ESTIMATOR

SADIE MAY STUDIOS LTD Location: Warwickshire

TONY BENGER LANDSCAPING Location: Devon

FAIRWEATHER’S GARDEN CENTRE Location: Hampshire

GAVIN JONES LTD Location: Yorkshire

Tony Benger Landscaping is looking for an experienced hard landscaping team leader to join its team on a range of domestic projects. Applicants must be experienced, dedicated, hard-working and good communicators. The successful candidate will work out of the company’s main branch in Dalwood, Axminster. Depending on the economy, this position may start as a zero hours’ contract with a view to permanency for the right candidate. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, team are limited to small bubbles.

Due to continued growth, Gavin Jones North is looking for an enthusiastic and reliable estimator with experience in the landscape or construction sector to join its friendly and dedicated team within the commercial landscaping department in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. The successful application will be expected to effectively prepare and submit tenders for the commercial landscape division and manage awards and subsequent handovers to the company’s highly experienced operation teams. They will research innovation solutions, adapting and growing within the ever-changing marketplace and building long-term relationships with current and prospective clients.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

HARD LANDSCAPE OPERATIVE FRESH HORTICULTURAL CAREERS Location: London

2 X LANDSCAPE FOREMEN AND 1 X SEMI-SKILLED LABOURER

A client of Fresh Horticultural Careers has experience of a wide range of gardens and outdoor spaces. This client is now looking for a hard landscaper with experience on high-end projects to join its team in West London. Responsibilities will include: paving, brickwork, water features, fencing, setting out, working under the direction of the team leader, adhering to health and safety, and experience using hand tools. Applicants must have at least five years’ experience. They will ideally hold a full clean UK driving license and be aged 25 or over for insurance purposes. Some soft landscaping skills are desirable and a CSCS card is preferred.

Landscape foremen and a semi-skilled labourer are required for Shoots and Leaves’ expanding team in West London, though they will be working across the whole of London. Shoots and Leaves is looking for experience foremen but, more importantly, someone who is the right ‘fit’ for its team. It will also consider less experienced applicants if they show willing to learn. Applicants should be friendly, well presented and polite. Benefits include good rates of pay based on experience, use of a company vehicle and varied projects.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

144 Pro Landscaper / March 2021

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SHOOTS AND LEAVES Location: London

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

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PEOPLE

T H E L I T T L E I N T E RV I E W

PRO LANDSCAPER ASKS QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS TO GAIN A SMALL INSIGHT INTO THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP OUR INDUSTRY. TO TAKE PART, EMAIL CONTENT@ EL JAYS44.COM

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ROBYN BUTCHER

MARK LANE

Director, The terra firma Consultancy Ltd

Director, Mark Lane Designs Ltd

www.terrafirmaconsultancy.com

www.marklanedesigns.com

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing? I used to think frontline healthcare, but not sure I’d have the stamina in the current climate. Something busy though.

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing? I would probably still be in publishing. Failing that, a professional flautist.

Garden shows/show gardens – inspirational or not? Not for me – I prefer the bigger landscape picture. Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? France and Spain – I love their urban open spaces and the way they are used socially on the Mediterranean coast. The one person in the industry you’d love to meet? Bit late, but Sylvia Crowe. Newest gardening trend in your opinion. Leaving the lawn to grow – no mow May. Couldn’t get through the week without... Coffee, fresh air and a good book in the evening. Favourite tipple? Glass of merlot. What three things would you take to a desert island? A radio, some sun cream and a fishing rod. Your favourite joke? Two parrots sat on a perch; one says to the other, can you smell fish? Karaoke song of choice? Anything by Squeeze – preferably ‘Heaven Knows’.

Garden shows/show gardens – inspirational or not? Absolutely. These are the best way to find out the latest trends, the fashionable plants and colours, as well as the best materials to use. They can be a little overwhelming, but I am a great believer that there is something for everyone. Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? For sheer natural landscape beauty, either Canada or Thailand. One thing that you think would make the industry better? Better open dialogue about accessibility, inclusive design, disability and diversity. Best piece of trivia you know? Of earth’s ~400,000 plant species, we can eat ~300,000 of them, but only consume about 200 species globally. Role model as a child? I was a keen flautist, so I would have to say Sir James Galway. What three things would you take to a desert island? Endless supply of fresh water, gardening books and packets of seeds (edibles and ornamentals) – and a wheelchair that copes very well with sand. Karaoke song of choice? ‘Sex Bomb’ by Tom Jones.

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PEOPLE

SIMON BLACKLEY

A L L I S O N WA LT E R S

DAN RIDDLESTON

Environmental, social and governance manager, Nurture Landscapes

Director, awSCAPE Landscape Design

Managing director, Bowles & Wyer

www.nurturelandscapes.co.uk

www.awscape.co.uk

www.bowleswyer.co.uk

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing? It would have to be something with nature, possibly in the community and possibly teaching.

Garden shows/show gardens – inspirational or not? More so now as they can convey a message about the value of rainwater, wildlife, nature and our environment.

Garden shows/show gardens – inspirational or not? Inspirational definitely, especially by those who challenge our ideas of what gardens should be, such as Diarmuid Gavin.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? France. I used to holiday there regularly as a child and the varied unspoiled landscapes are incredible.

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing? Probably something in civil engineering, where I started my career, although I have a fantasy that I might be a ski instructor or skippering a yacht somewhere in the Med.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? China – having watched Monty Don’s ‘Around the World in 80 Gardens’ and seeing the BALI entries from China.

What would you blow your budget on? Raingardens, permeable paving, green roofs – anything SuDS-y and wildlife-y.

What would you blow your budget on? I’d love to buy a field and restore it to flower meadow.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet? I would have liked to have met David Bellamy, but I would love to meet the Butterfly Brothers.

Newest gardening trend in your opinion Rewilding and what that means, moving away from chemical management of weeds will increase labour input, always a challenge.

One thing that you think would make the industry better? Education of the public on good environmental practices, because if they know they will ask for it.

Best piece of trivia you know? The UK has 270 species of bee made up of 250 types of solitary bee, 19 different bumblebees and 1 honeybee.

Role model as a child? David Bellamy and Richard Genn (my environmental science teacher).

Best invention in recent years? During lockdown, it’s been the ability to attend online meetings and lectures, the FSC Natural History live lectures have been a godsend and I’ve been able to attend more now they’re online. Karaoke song of choice? ‘Bat Out of Hell’ by Meat Loaf

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Who would play you in a movie of your life? Emilia Clarke, because she is so full of life.

Garden shows/show gardens – inspirational or not? Yes, but probably because of the people you meet there to exchange ideas with rather than the exhibits themselves. Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? It has to be America, lush green countryside, New England in the fall, deserts, the Rocky Mountains, amazing coastlines through to subarctic and tundra climates of Alaska. The one person in the industry you’d love to meet? Perhaps someone from history, Muhammad I of Granada commissioned the garden for the Alhambra Palace or André Le Nôtre the creator of the gardens of Versailles? Best invention in recent years? The LED lamp. Uses less than 10% energy of equivalent Halogen fitting, not just for the garden, but homes and offices.

Best piece of trivia you know? Slugs have four noses.

Who would play you in a movie of your life? Patrick Stewart.

Your favourite joke? Why did the toilet paper roll down the hill? It wanted to get to the bottom.

Karaoke song of choice? ‘Here Comes the Summer’ by The Undertones.

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